The management of the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos State has increased fees for undergraduates to between N100,750 and N190,250 for returning students per session, depending on courses of study with medical and dentistry students paying the highest.
New undergraduates will pay between N126,325 and N190,250, also depending on their courses of study.
The charges on hostel accommodation and various departmental levies are not captured in the new fees regime.
Until now, the institution charged a minimum fee of N19,000.
The details of the new fees regime are captured in a Minutes of the Meeting by Mr. Akpan Obono Otu, the acting secretary of the Thursday’s meeting between the management of the institution and the leadership of some staff unions, including the Senior Staff Association (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the National Association of Technologists (NAAT).
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Folashade Ogunsola, who chaired the meeting, explained that the fee increment is inevitable if the institution is to continue to perform its mandates.
She cited high costs of operations occasioned by galloping inflation, particularly since the recent removal of subsidy on fuel by the Federal Government, as a major factor for the decision.
According to her, UNILAG has been running a deficit budget to the tune of N1.2 billion in the last three years and could no longer cope, particularly with the economic reality in the country.
She said that the normal annual income accruable to the university from its auxiliary funds stood at N5.6 billion, while its expenditure amounted to N6.8 billion, leaving a deficit of N1.2 billion annually.
Ogunsola argued that the university could no longer cope with the students paying the same fees they that had existed since 20 years ago, which is about N25,000 per session, hence the decision to jerk up the fees.
She noted that all stakeholders, including students and staff unions were being carried along to arrive at the new fees regime.
The Chairman of the Parent-Forum of the university, Mr. Babatunde Majekodunmi said that parents were indeed carried along and agreed to the new fees, adding that the fees would have even been up to N400,000 per session but for the appeals made by the forum to the management.
But, a cross sections of parents of students of the university and students themselves dispelled the claim of the Parent-Forum chairman, saying they were not aware of any meeting where such important matter was tabled, let alone party to the decision.
The chairman of the institution’s branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Kayode Adebayo told Nigerian Tribune that, as far as ASUU is concerned, the union has no mandate to discuss the review of school fees in any university with any management.
He explained that ASUU’s position against school fees increment in any federal university in the country has not changed.
He said that the Federal Government has the money to fund university education very well but for insincerity and political will of the successive leaders.
The students of the institution also kicked against increment. The Public Relations Officer of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Mr. Tope Giwa, who is a student of UNILAG, dispelled the claim by the Vice Chancellor that the students were party to the fee increment.
He said that UNILAG has banned students’ unionism on campus for a long time and refused to reinstate unionism despite students’ persistent agitation for reinstatement.
He noted that only the students’ officers at departmental and faculty levels are in the university and they are not in any way invited by the management to discuss important issues that concern them and even if they do it is not to seek their opinions.
Giwa said: “So, to us as students of UNILAG and every other public university nationwide, we say no to fees increments. This is a very difficult time economically for us and for our parents, So, to increase fees is to add to our pains and we cannot accept it.
“We told President Bola Tinubu when he introduced the Students’ Loan that the policy should not translate to fees hike and he told us that it would not.
“So, that is why I will describe this UNILAG new fees matter as laughable and we, the students, will never accept it”.
SSANU however confirmed that the Vice Chancellor met with representatives of the three non-academic staff unions on Thursday, to discuss issues concerning members’ welfare.
“During the meeting, the proposed fees for undergraduate students of UNILAG were disclosed.
“Students without lab and studio use will pay N100,750, those with lab use will pay N140,250 and the college of medicine would pay N190,250″, SSANU said in a statement.
A SSANU representative at the meeting, Rasaki Yusuf asked for a rebate for staff members with children in the university but the Vice Chancellor insisted that the new charges were set nationally and could not be modified for specific categories of students.
Ogunsola, however, gave the option of staff paying in instalments but with a condition to pay up one month before final examinations.
