After few weeks of protest by aggrieved students, Governor Babatunde Fashola has finally reduced the hiked fees of the Lagos State University (LASU). The governor approved a reduction of between 34% and 60% after series of demonstrations by the students, who even went as far as camping in the governor’s office.
The lecturers of the school also supported the cause as they embarked on a strike in protest.
Fashola expressed optimism that the resolution of the issue of fees will prompt the staff unions of the school to see reasons to call off their strike to enable normal academic activities commence.
But President of the LASU Student Union Government (SUG), Yusuf Nurudeen, was not impressed, describing the reduction of the fees as “unacceptable and a huge joke”
Yusuf told Daily Independent in a telephone interview that the students were disappointed with the reduction as it was obscure and did not state specifically what each student would pay.
Reading a 17-point resolution of the ad-hoc committee as approved by the State Executive Council headed by the Governor, Special Adviser on Education, Fatai Olukoga, said government has agreed to a reduction of the fee regime ranging from 34 to 60 per cent across the different faculties and courses.
Olukoga disclosed the government’s decision to State House Correspondents in Alausa, Ikeja.
Together with him were Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Lateef Ibirogba, Special Adviser on Information, Lateef Raji and Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Hakeem Bello.
Olukoga said government considered the reduction of the fees for two main reasons, noting that on the one hand, “some of the fee components have been applied to students across all levels when in fact they can be justifiably limited to students at a particular level only”.
On the other, “Some of the charges included can still be reduced on compassionate grounds”.
The Governor’s aide added that the reduction was done in accordance with the law setting up LASU, adding that its position has been submitted to the University Governing Council for consideration, implementation.
The governing council will be saddled with the responsibility of issuing details “of what is now payable by students in each department and deal with all other management matters of the university”.
Olukoga, however, assured that the reduction of the fees will not affect government’s commitment to enhanced scholarship and bursary provisions.
But the LASU SUG president, however, told Daily Independent: “When the fee was hiked, it was not by percentage, it was specific, now that they claim they are reducing it, they are talking percentage. This is unacceptable and a huge joke”.
LASU tuition crisis escalated when government hiked it from N25,000 to between N195,000 and N350,000.
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