Parents reject accommodation fee hike at UI as Adekunle Ajasin University students’ protest enters second day in Akure

Majority of parents at a stakeholders meeting held on Tuesday to discuss the new fee  regime introduced by the University of Ibadan rejected the  N30,000 hostel accommodation proposal.
The management had called the  meeting over what it called “slight increment’’  for halls of residence and the Alexander hall  for  students of  the College of  Medicine.
The institution’s  Senate  had recommended a hike in hostel accommodation fee from N14, 000 to N30,000 for  students on the  main campus and N40,000 for those in the College of Medicine effective from the 2017/2018 session.
The premier institution said that it currently spends about N100 million every year in providing   hostel  accommodation, arguing that this  was no longer sustainable
Majority of the parents in their separate remarks, however,  said while  they were not objecting to increment due to the current economic realities, the proposal by the institution was unacceptable.
Mr Fashina Olusegun, a parent,  said  while upgrading facilities as being canvassed by the institution  was  good , the new fee regime was high.
Also speaking,  Merssers  Robert Obiora, Ayo Akinyemi and Michael Odunrounmbi, agreed that while tertiary education was being underfunded,  the university management must ensure that its fees were affordable.
Some students in a peaceful protest at the hall also asked the management to reconsider its recommendations.
The Vice Chancellor of the university,  Prof. Idowu Olayinka,  had earlier stated that the institution  “is at a point where it is difficult to continue to subsidise  the running of the halls of residence and carry out some other academic functions.’’
“This cannot be feasible  without a slight adjustment in accommodation charges and in some fees  items payable by students in some faculties,’’ he said.
He said only the increase in  accommodation fee  affected all students who desire to stay in the halls of  residence, adding that  “residency in the halls of residence is optional.’’
Olayinka  said only 8, 222 bed spaces were available for the over 27,000 students,  adding that the university is not fully residential. .
” The hostel accommodation is for the first and final year students, ” he said.
Prof. Omoniyi Adewoye, a former Vice Chancellor of the university and  Chairman of  the forum,  said university education  could not  be free if there was to be a turnaround in the education sector.
He, however, urged the parents to critically analyse the situation  with a view to appreciating  the  justification for the increment.
Meanwhile, the protest over hike in tuition fees embarked upon by students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, entered the second day on Tuesday in Akure.
The students have been protesting since Monday against hike in their tuition fees ranging from N25,000 to N35,000, to between N120,000 and N200,000.
The protest, which paralysed economic activities for four hours, caused traffic gridlock as Oba Adesida Road to Banks Road toward NEPA area were blocked by the students.
Speaking with newsmen, Tosin Ijanusi, the President of AAUA Students Union Government (SUG), said the protest would continue as long as the state government refused to reduce the fees.
The students carried different placards with inscriptions such as: “No Increment of Our School Fees”, “Do Not Sell Our School” and “Students Say No to Fee Hike”.
Ijanisu told newsmen:“We will continue until the state government reverses its decision.
“We hope they will call us, and if they do not, we will continue.’’
The student leader thanked some market women that joined the day’s  protest, saying it would attract more people on Wednesday.
Also speaking, Mr Emmanuel Akeredolu, the President of the National Association of Ondo State Students (NAOSS), said the new tuition fees were unfair to the students.
Akeredolu said he was optimistic that it would be reversed.
One of the market women, Mrs Funke Ademeso, said that market women were in support of the students because it would be difficult for parents and guardians to cope with the new tuition fees.
Earlier, Dr Tunji Abayomi, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman Governing Council of AAUA, said that the state government was spending over N5 billion to run the university yearly.
Abayomi said that this was  a lot higher than the institution’s total income, which stood at N2.71 billion.
He insisted that time had come to save the university from total collapse, which necessitated the increase in the school fees.
The pro-chancellor said that Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, however, had the final say on whether to maintain the new fees or review it downward.