IT started as a peaceful demonstration but there are fears it may
not end that way. Last December, graduate students of the University of
Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in Enugu State held rallies on the campus to
reject what they called “outrageous” increment in their fees.
Following the protests and meetings with the Vice-Chancellor (VC)
Prof Benjamin Ozumba, that ended in deadlock, the university, last
Friday, suspended all its post-graduate programmes indefinitely.
This means post-graduate diploma, Master’s and doctoral programmes have been put on hold.
It all started when the school raised post-graduate programmes fees
from N69,000 to N145,000. The students, through their spokesperson, Paul
Haaga, condemned the hike, describing it as outrageous.
Haaga said: “We are not against any increment, but it should be
reasonable. It is irresponsible to increase fee within nine months from
N68, 700 to N145,000 for Sciences, N135,000 for Arts and N32,000 as
hostel accommodation, including N2,000 maintenance and N25,000
acceptance fees. Where do they expect us to get that kind of money? I do
not think it is a crime for one to further his education in UNN.”
A N20,000 reduction to placate the students was rejected. They are
insisting on reverting to the old fee. The school suspensed the graduate
programmes when it could not reach an agreement with the students.
It directed the graduate students to vacate their hostels immediately, warning them against destroying properties.
In a statement, the Public Relations Officer (PRO), Chief Okwu
Omeaku, said the “urgent” decision was taken to avert public
disturbance.
The statement reads: “In view of the on-going impasse resulting in
the undue post-graduate students’ restiveness, management has directed
immediate suspension of all post-graduate programmes till further
notice. Students in this category of programme are then directed to
vacate their hostels not later than 6 pm today, Friday January 16, 2015.
All concerned should please comply to avoid unpleasant consequences.”
CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the management copied the area
command of the police and army. But the students condemned the decision
and their ejection from their hostels. They described the action as
harsh and ill-thought.
On Saturday, university officials moved round the post-graduate
hostels to effect the order. The students were ejected from their rooms,
with some prevented from taking their personal effects.
Some female students, with nowhere to stay in town, described the
action as unfortunate. The management, they said, should have given them
some days to arrange for their journey back home.
During the ejection, CAMPUSLIFE sawuniversity officials
throwing out some students’ properties. Some students left peacefully,
dragging their bags to motor parks. Those unable to travel on Saturday
passed the night outside the sealed hostels. Some set up stoves outside
to cook.
Mr Emmanuel Anyaegbulem, a post-graduate student at the Faculty of
Biological Sciences, said he was shocked by the action. “What we demand
is the school fees reduction. We are not asking for improvement in
teaching materials across a faculties for the students. We are not
complaining about the attitudes of project supervisors who keep students
beyond the stipulated period of graduation. We only want a stop to
exploitation by the management, but they responded by suspending the
programmes. They are throwing away the baby with the bath water,” he
said.
Last week, the students wrote a joint letter to the management to
demand a reduction in their fees, comparing post-graduate tuitions in
notable federal varsities with UNN’s.
The students said their counterparts at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University
(UNIZIK) in Awka, the Anambra State capital pay N88,000 for the first
12 months and N44,000 in the subsequent session.
At the University of Ibadan (UI), the students said their colleagues
pay N104,000 for doctoral degree in the first year and N54,350 in the
returning session. Master’s students in UI, according to them, pay
N92,000 in their first year and N44,350 in the returning session.
In the letter, the UNN students said they had presented the fees
being paid in other federal schools to Prof Ozumba, but said the
management was adamant in reducing the high fees in UNN.
The letter titled: Delay in the reversal of unconscionable hike in postgraduate fees,
reads: “Mr. Vice-Chancellor, we presented you with facts and figures
about tuitions in other federal universities in Nigeria, which show that
the UNN postgraduate programmes, particularly school fees, is not
student-friendly.
“Mr. Vice Chancellor sir, we find retrogressive and suppressive the
favourable disposition of your administration to foreign postgraduate
students at the detriment of Nigerian citizens in their own country.
While the fees paid by foreign students were reduced, Nigerians are
asked to pay astronomical fee increased by over 100 per cent. This
favouritism is not only unacceptable to us but also condemnable.
“Once again, we strongly advise that since the administration is in
the process of reviewing the structure of postgraduate programme to
bring it at par with best practices in other universities, the review of
the fees should be included. We demand total and unconditional reversal
to N75,000 for new students and N68,700 for returning students.”
The students demanded freedom to constitute the Post-graduate
Students’ Union (PGSU) as their mouthpiece. They also demanded reduction
in the length of time of their programmes and the period of project
submission. They want improvement in the productivity of aged professors
on contract in the university.
When CAMPUSLIFE visited the office of the Dean,
Post-Graduate School, on Monday, a non-teaching official, who did not
mention his name, said the dean was not in.
He directed our correspondent to the PRO. At the time of this report, Omeaku did not pick calls from our reporter.
Culled from Thenationonlineng
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