The management of the University of Lagos, UNILAG, has agreed to a reduction in the mandatory fees that students enrolled in the institution must pay after a lengthy meeting with the national leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS.
The National President of NANS, Comrade Usman Umar Barambu, attended the meeting together with other NANS leaders, according to a statement released on Friday morning by the Head of UNILAG’s Communication Unit, Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem. The university team was led by Vice Chancellor Prof. Folasade Ogunsola.
“The meeting agreed that Utility Charges for all categories of students be reduced to N15,000:00 from N20,000:00. Obligatory fees for new undergraduate students were reviewed from N126,325:00 to N116,325:00 for courses without Lab/Studio and N176,325:00 to N166,325:00 for courses with Lab/Studio.
“The obligatory fees for returning undergraduate students were reviewed from N100,750:00 to N80,750:00 for courses without Lab/Studio; N140,250:00 to N120,250:00 for courses with Lab/Studio; and from N190,250:00 to N170,, 250:00 for Medical / Pharmacy students and students in Health Professions.
“The Convocation Fee to be paid by all final year students was reduced to N27,000:00 from N 30,000:00. Hostels fees were reviewed as follows: For undergraduate hostels in Akoka and Yaba campuses, the fees were reduced to N43,000:00 from N90,000:00. For hostels in Idi-Araba campus, the fees were reduced to N65,000:00 from N120,000:00. The fees for Sodeinde Hall was reduced to N135,000:00 from N250,000:00.”
At the commencement of the meeting, the NANS President highlighted the demands of UNILAG students as the reversal of obligatory fees, the reversal of hostel fees, and the reinstatement of the Students’ Union Government in UNILAG.
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Comrade Barambu observed that the absence of the Students Union Government (SUG) in UNILAG had adversely affected communication between the students and management. He also noted that students would be able to channel their grievances appropriately through their SUG.
Professor Ogunsola enumerated the dire situation of the University in view of prevailing economic realities, and the struggle to meet its obligations to students, staff, and municipal service providers, among others.
She stated the university’s commitment to the actualization of measures put in place to ameliorate the impact of the obligatory fee review.
These measures include the Instalment Payment Option, Revitalisation of the Work-Study Programme, Assistance to Indigent Students, Triple A Project, Pay for Mentors Project, and scholarship opportunities among others.
The Vice-Chancellor also reiterated that “No UNILAG student would drop out of the institution due to fees”. She stressed that the aim of the university was to deliver quality education to its students regardless of class, tribe, or creed.
The VC would commence the process of reinstating students’ union activities in the university as soon as possible.
Student unionism has been proscribed in the university for over six years.
Recall that the institution’s students have been protesting the new fee structure since last week, which they have called prohibitive.