The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) organized a peaceful protest on Friday, asking that the over 300 percent increase in school fees at the Edo State-owned Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, be reversed.
Recall that the state government increased AAU fees to between 741,000 and N638,00 as against 185,000 and N216,000 being paid previously.
The protesting student also sought the dismissal of the Special Intervention Team (SIT), which was formed by the state government to oversee the institution’s operations, as well as the interim vice chancellor, Prof Sonnie Adagbonyin.
Addressing journalists, NANS vice president, Intercampus Affairs, Comrade Vanessa Egheahie, said NANS would storm the institution if the state government failed to revert to the old fees, saying students from poor parents cannot afford to go to school with the new fees.
According to him, with the new fees, AAU has become the most expensive public university in Nigeria.
“Law students are expected to pay 741,000 as against 185,000 while medical science students are to pay 638,000 as against 216,000 for new students.
“We are angry because the Edo State Government and the AAU Special Intervention Team (SIT) have increased the school fees for AAU students by over 360 per cent,” he said.
He said the state government was making it impossible for poor people to go to school.
“It is not possible. Remember that Edo is 78 per cent civil service state. How can children of traders, civil servants and other low income earners pay this kind of school fees? The Edo State Government has told us that they have a low education policy and they don’t care if we end up on the street,” he said.
Also speaking, Comrade Isaac Ogieva, secretary-general of NANS, Zone B, stated that when the tuition was raised, they went to the school administration and pleaded with them to consider the poor students who are the ones funding their education.
Ada Peter
