NANS Berates UNIOSUN Over Tuition Hike, Seeks Govt Intervention
THE National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), South West, has condemned the management of Osun State University over the astronomical increment in the school tuition fees.
A statement by the office of the Secretary General of NANS Zone D, Comrade Oluwole Aboke, the action by the school management is not only inconsiderate but also reflects a growing trend of educational commercialisation at the expense of struggling Nigerian students and their parents.
Aboke called on the Osun State Government to intervene urgently and not allow the injustice stand.
He said: “It is disheartening to note that over 41,000 admission seekers applied for UNIOSUN’s Post-UTME, while the school management is fully aware that the institution can only admit approximately 11,385 students for the current academic session. Allowing over 30,000 applicants to pay for Post-UTME screening when they already know the number of available slots is exploitative, unfair, and unjustifiable.
“Furthermore, the financial burden on newly admitted students is highly outrageous. Fresh students are compelled to pay ₦50,000 for acceptance, ₦40,000 for medical screening, and ₦20,000 for library registration, while the management has also increased hostel accommodation fees to over ₦145,000. These multiple and excessive charges have made life increasingly difficult for students and their sponsors.
“It is worth emphasizing that most physical projects on campus both completed and ongoing are majorly funded by TETFUND and the Osun State Government, which leaves no moral or financial justification for the management to impose such crippling financial demands on students. The constant fee increments have equally led to a sharp rise in accommodation costs outside the campus, as private landlords and agents now take advantage of the situation, further worsening the suffering of both freshers and returning students.
“We therefore call on the Osun State Government not to fold its arms in the face of this injustice. The state must intervene immediately and compel the university management to reverse these anti-student policies.”
More so, Aboke urged the state government to review the alarming cost of students’ accommodation outside the campus, which he said has become an unbearable burden on both fresh and returning students.
“The Osun State Government is also urged to critically review the alarming cost of student accommodation outside campus, which has become an unbearable burden on both fresh and returning students. The government must immediately convene a meeting with community leaders, landlords, and housing associations within the university’s host communities to address and regulate the incessant hike in rent prices.
“It is imperative that all stakeholders work together to ensure that accommodation costs remain reasonable and student-friendly, as the current exploitative situation is deepening the financial hardship faced by many students and their families.
“Failure to do so may lead to growing unrest within the student community, as the current situation is becoming unbearable and could trigger a major crisis if not addressed urgently.The students of Osun State and the entire Southwest region deserve better. Education must remain a right, not a privilege reserved for the rich,” the statement concluded.
Yusuf Oketola is a trained journalist with over five years of experience in the media industry. He has worked for both print and online medium. He is a thorough-bred professional with an eye of hindsight on issues bothering on social justice, purposeful leadership, and a society where the leaders charge and work for the prosperity of the people.
