Parents React To OAU’s New Tuition Fees

• Sodiq Lawal

Scores of parents have reacted to the decision of the management of the Obafemi Awolowo University OAU, Ile Ife to increase the institution’s tuition fees.

OSUN DEFENDER had reported that the management of the University on Tuesday announced the new school fees payable by both new and returning students of the institution ahead of the 2023/2024 academic session.

A statement released by its Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olarewaju said the revised fees are applicable to the 2023 academic session alone.

The statement noted that the adjustments were approved during an emergency meeting of the University Senate on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, and cut across various faculties.

According to him, “for those in the Faculties of Arts, Law and Humanities , the ‘freshers’ will pay #151, 200 while returning students of the same faculties will pay #89,200.

READ ALSO: OAU SU Directs Students Not To Pay New Tuition Fees

“For those in the Faculties of Technology and Science, the new students will pay #163, 200 and the returning students of the same faculties are to pay #101, 200.

“In addition, the new students being admitted into the Faculties in the College of Health Sciences, and the Faculty of Pharmacy are to pay #190, 200 ( new students) and #128, 200 ( returning students) respectively. “

Reactions From Parents

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER, Mr. Yemi Babatunde, a small business owner in Ile Ife who has two children in the university told our correspondent that there was no way children of low income earners could afford such tuition fees considering the current economic reality in the country.

According to him, the Federal Universities remain the last hope for the masses in acquiring standard education, without necessarily breaking the banks.

He said news of the increase was a blow to him as he had been saving and preparing for his another child, who just graduated from secondary school and was ready to gain admission in OAU.

“I really don’t know what to do now. I am in a state of confusion because I cannot afford that kind of money.

“Times are already hard ordinarily. We can barely feed properly and yet we are faced with this kind of news,” he said.

Mrs Rahmot Odebunmi, a civil servant, decried the development and called for a review of the fees.

According to her, the current economic crunch is already too much a burden to bear.

She noted that there was the need for the management to consider low income earners, such as the bricklayers, vulcanizers and other petty traders before increasing the fees.

“What is happening currently in terms of increase in fees in the universities is, to me, uncalled for and ill timed.

“Those of us with children in OAU are still struggling to come to terms with reality over this increase in fees.

“How do we cope with all these? Does it mean we should all withdraw our children from school. These public universities have been our last resort. At least, we can still boast of the level of education from these schools to a certain level, compared to some others around the country.

“We try to carry on, within our limited resources in ensuring that our children are educated.

“Now, with all these hikes in fees, where do we run to, what becomes of these children if most of them are denied access because their parents can no longer afford it?

“Government should please do all it can to reverse the situation. Of course, we must find ways of engaging these young ones meaningfully, as every idle mind is a potential workshop for the devil.

”The country is already struggling with a lot of vices among these ones,” she stated.

She urged government to divert funds removed from fuel subsidy and other sources to take care of the education sector as this remained the only legacy it could give the people.

Adeolu Ogunbanjo, a POS Operator in Lagos who has a child schooling in OAU called on the management to revisit the increase in fees.

He noted that tampering with fees in federal universities was uncalled for, especially in the face of the ripple effects caused by the removal of subsidy.

“Government should intervene by directing all these fees to be returned to status quo. Education is the thing the masses are trying to hang on to now, and if you make it unaffordable, then it means we are in for a lot of challenges ahead,” he said.