XMAS GIFT: FAYEMI SLASHES UNAD'S TUITIONS
Students of University of Ado-Ekiti were on Wednesday handed what could be described as their Christmas present as Governor Kayode Fayemi announced over 50 percent slash of the tuition fees imposed on the students last year by ousted Governor Segun Oni.
In a statement by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Ganiyu Owolabi and made available to Daily Sun on Wednesday, Governor Fayemi ordered that no student of UNAD should be charged more than N50,000 as tuition.
According to the statement: 'In fulfillment of the promise of the Governor of Ekiti State, His Excellency Dr. Kayode Fayemi to relieve parents and students of tertiary institutions in the state the burden of exorbitant school fees, he has approved that henceforth, no student of UNAD should be charged more than N50,000.
'This development is the agreement of Mr. Governor with the management of the university on the need to review its tuition fees downward. 'Following this development, the management of the University of Ado-Ekiti is enjoined to adhere to this directive, as non-compliance would be viewed as a violation of the directive of the state government.'
Following the reduction of the tuition from N150, 000 to maximum of N50, 000, the Students Union Government of the institution has announced the immediate cancellation of the planned mass protest against the hike in the tuition slated for this month.
The President of the students union, Kehinde Okunnuga in a statement, appreciated and commended Governor Fayemi for ameliorating the sufferings of the students of the varsity since ousted Governor Segun Oni in collaboration with the school authorities shot up the school tuitions astronomically.
He said the giant stride taken by the governor would remain indelible in the minds of all the students of the university.
Recalling the harrowing experiences of the students during the period the struggle for the reduction in the tuition lasted, Okunuga said the 400 percent increase was 'killing and anti-people.' He, however, described the reduction in the tuition as a testimony to the sincerity behind all promises made by Governor Fayemi at his inauguration ceremony on Saturday, October 16, 2010, saying 'it is with ecstasy that we declare an instant dismissal of our fight on tuition fee. We love to again reiterate our relentless cooperation with this God-sent administration if he continues this way.
'We also admonish the governor to make the development of the university a paramount importance, considering his academic attainment and international exposure.' The immediate past chairman, National Association of Nigerian Students Joint Campus Committee in Ondo/ Ekiti, Adeolu Oyebode commended the governor, calling on him to henceforth, focus on how to make the varsity fully residential.
He, however, said: 'We are not surprised at this action at all because he too has fought in the past to ensure students' emancipation in the country. We hereby dedicate this victory to those students who lost their admissions when the tuition was introduced for lack of finance.' The Vice Chancellor of the varsity, Prof. Dipo Kolawole in November last year defended the increase in the school fees of new intakes of the institution, describing it as a proactive maintenance measure.
Returning students of the institution were paying between N19, 000 and N21, 000. But the fresh students in Arts, Education and Social Science would be paying minimum of N90,000, while Agric Science and Science students would pay N100,000. Engineering, Law, Management Science and Medicine would cough out N150,000 only.
The statement, however, warned the school authorities about the consequence of flouting the order, saying, 'following this development, the management of the University of Ado-Ekiti is enjoined to adhere to this directive, as non-compliance would be viewed as a violation of the directive of the state government.'