‘UNILAG Is Becoming Secondary School’ – Parents Protest Over Mattress Demand

Parents of students at the University of Lagos State (UNILAG), have protested over the demand for mattresses from students while struggling to cope with the recent increase in tuition, hostel and other fees.

The University management had recently increased obligatory fees, including hostel fees and students were asked to come into the halls with their mattresses at resumption later this month.

In an interview with Vanguard, a parent who spoke on the development said, “UNILAG is becoming a secondary school where students are asked to come to school with their beddings. It’s unbelievable. This is a university that has just increased tuition and hostel fees.”

However, the Head of the Information Unit of the varsity, Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem, has clarified that the decision for students to resume with their mattresses and some other personal items is due to health reasons.

Alaga-Ibraheem noted that students bringing beds to the hostel is not a new practice; notwithstanding, the institution is also working on renovating various hostels.

He said, “We asked the students to come with their own beddings for health reasons. That has been the practice for some time. It is not new. We are also working on the renovation of the various hostels. Some of them would be fully renovated before the students resume later in the month.

“Those whose renovation works might not be completed before the students resume, we are going to continue to work on them. We are working to make the hostels conducive for the students.

“As for the complaints that the hostel fees should be enough for the school to provide those items, we all know the situation in the country and the cost of the items. N65,000, for instance, as a hostel fee for a year is not expensive going by what people pay for private accommodation.

“The management is mindful of the welfare of the students, and we are making all efforts to make their stay on campus comfortable.”