The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Friday protested an over 300 percent school fees increment at the Edo State-owned Ambrose Alli University, (AAU) Ekpoma.
The students’ national body, while at the premises of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Edo State council demanded the reversal of the over three hundred percent increment, the sack of the Special Intervention Team(SIT), which tenure is said to have expired on the 24th of June,2023.
They also demanded the sack of the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Sonnie Adagbonyin
Speaking, NANS Vice President, Intercampus Affairs, Comrade Vanessa Egheahie, said should the Edo State Government refused to revert to the old fees paid by the students before the new increment, NANS would move its headquarters to AAU to enforce the reversal, lamentng tha students from poor parents cannot afford to go to school with the new charges.
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She said the new school fees makes AAU the most expensive public university in Nigeria, as law students are expected to cough out 741,5000, as against 185,000, while Medical Science students are to pay 638,000 as against 216 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 with over three hundred and sixty percent. Those who have right to increase fee are those who have worked to improve the infrastructure in the school.
“It is quite unfortunate that the state government has increased these fees making it impossible for poor people to go to school. What the management of the school is telling us is that before a salary earner in Edo State with just a child who wants his child to study law, he would have to work for 23 months before he can pay one level school fees for his child.
“It is not possible, remember that Edo is 78 percent civil service state. How can children of traders, civil servants and other low income earners pay this kind of school fees. With this, Edo State Government is telling us that it has low education policy and it cares not if we end on the street.”
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She also maintained that the SIT, whose tenure is to end on the 24th of June, 2023 has failed in its responsibility of managing and helping the institution to sort for fund, hence it should be dissolved by the Edo State Government.
“The Special Intervention Team (SIT) has failed in its responsibility, and we also have the Acting Vice Chancellor that is threatening students that if they cannot pay, they should look for universities that are cheap.
“We keep bragging that we are EdoBEST, this is Edo Nonsense. I want to beg our parents not to pay any charges or dues come Monday. We demand the sack of the SIT and the Acting Vice Chancellor,” she said
Also speaking, the Secretary General, NANS Zone B, Comrade Isaac Ogieva, said when the fee was increased, they went to the school management and pleaded that they should consider the poor ones in school, who are the ones sponsoring their education.
“When this fee was increased, we went to them and pleaded that they should consider the poor ones, as many students are the ones sponsoring their education and cannot afford these exorbitant fees.
“Where do you expect a poor parent to bring 700,000 or 600,000 at the case maybe to pay school fees,” He said.
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