The Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), in Ondo state, finds itself in turmoil as students initiated protests on Monday opposing the proposed increment in their fees, resulting in the indefinite closure of the campus.
FUTA’s director of corporate communications, Adegbenro Adebanjo, confirmed the university’s intention to raise fees, citing the necessity to cover escalating student-related expenses and municipal services like electricity, water, hostel maintenance, and cleaning.
However, irate students took matters into their own hands, barricading the main gate of the university, expressing their dissatisfaction with the fee adjustment.
President of FUTA’s students’ union government, Olayemi Oluwasoromidayo, urged the school’s management to maintain the previous fee structure, emphasizing that discussions with the management had failed to address their concerns.
Addressing journalists, Oluwasoromidayo mentioned that the student body had engaged in multiple discussions with the management regarding this issue, but their demands were not met.
He highlighted that the management had increased the fees to over N200,000 for new students, while old students who used to pay N35,000 would now have to pay N130,000.
The students’ union president declared that the protest would continue until their demands were addressed.
In response to the escalating protests, FUTA management decided to shut down the institution indefinitely, postponing the resumption for the 2023/2024 academic session.
Additionally, the registration process for returning students through the university portal and the payment of fees, which were originally set to commence on January 15, have been temporarily suspended.
The management also ordered the evacuation of all students residing on campus within 24 hours.
Adebanjo clarified that the proposed fee adjustments were primarily for student-related services, sourced from the economy, and impacted by the rising costs of goods and services.
The Cable quoted Adebanjo saying: “The proposed new fees are mainly for student-related services which are sourced from the economy.
“And the costs of such goods and services provided by the University for the students will certainly be impacted by costs of goods and services in the economy.
“To ensure the smooth running of the university, certain consumables and payments for municipal services such as electricity, water, hostel maintenance, and cleaning and sundry other services are necessary.
“The costs of providing the services have shot up and the new charges are in response to this.”
He assured that the university’s mechanism for addressing student concerns, including charges and fees, is actively working on the matter with the expectation of achieving consensus.
Adebanjo said other costs that were adjusted as a result of economic reality include medical examinations for all new students.
Also affected are the cost of biometric ID cards, the tertiary institution’s students health insurance programme (TISHIP) administered by NHIS for students, and the final-year book.
“It is important to say that tuition is free and no money is being charged as tuition fee,” the communications director added.
“The management has an inbuilt mechanism within the system to look into and build consensus on matters affecting students, including charges and fees. And that mechanism is working on this matter and consensus will be achieved.”
Ada Peter
