The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Friday protested against the 300 per cent hike in school fees at Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, Edo State.
The students’ national body stormed the premises of the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Benin City, the state capital, demanding the reversal of the increase and the sacking of the acting Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Sonnie Adagbonyin.
NANS Vice President for Intercampus Affairs, Ms. Vanessa Egheahie said the state government should revert to the old fees or NANS would move its headquarters to the institution to enforce the reversal. She said students from poor parents could not afford the new charges.
Egheahie said the new charges meant law students would pay N741,500 as against N185,000 while medical science students would pay N638,000 as against N216,000.
She added: “We are angry because the Edo State Government and the AAU Special Intervention Team have increased the school fees of AAU students by over 360 per cent. Those who have the right to increase fees are those who have worked to improve the infrastructure in the school”.
NANS Secretary-General, for Zone B, Mr. Isaac Ogieva said: “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. You are not even sure of getting a job after graduation. Where do you expect a poor parent to get N700,000 or N600,000 to pay school fees”?
