Management to increase fees by 200%

Management of Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, Edo State, have made a decision to increase the school fees for the 2015/2016 Academic Session. This has cause some unrest as the students have refused to accept this change.

Details gathered by PremiumTimes showed that the department of Medicine had suffered the highest increase. The fees went from N47,000 to N160,000 which adds up to about a 240 per cent increase.

Natural sciences, Education, Agriculture, and Physiology had their fees increased from N41,000 to N112, 500, a 174 per cent increase

Other department also suffered some levels of increase, for example, Business courses like Public Administration, Business Administration, Economics and Banking and Finance attracted 175 per cent increase, as students will now pay N110,000 as against N40,000 earlier paid by the students.

It was also gathered that students will be required to pay the same amount in fees every year they spend in the school.

A group of students have gone on to express their dissatisfaction at this new changes. The group who named themselves students’ activists, they have undertaken to engage the management and other stakeholders, including parents to force down the new school fees.

Speaking on behalf of these students, Alex Peter had this to say on the matter;

“We are not oblivious of the hardship that Nigerian (AAU Ekpoma) students suffer in their campuses because of the corruption that has eaten up the soul of every sector in our society today,” he said.

“Students that are not paid bursaries, students that are not paid allowances, students whose future aren’t guaranteed even after spending years going through school shouldn’t be subjected to massive exploitation and unaffordable, ridiculous and obnoxious school charges.”

The management of the school has maintained their stance on the hike, saying that the fees were still reasonable. The Public Relations Officer and Deputy Registrar, Information and Protocol, Chris Adamaigbo has assured that the new fees would only affect the new students as old student will continue to pay their usual fees until they graduate.

Adamaigbo says there is no need for students to revolt against the fees since it is not affecting them.

“If you have an estate and a potential tenant comes in to rent the place, you will tell him what you want him to pay, it will be his choice to decide whether he wants to accept it or not,” Mr. Adamaigbo said.

“So they have a choice whether to accept it or not. As we speak no dime has been added to the fees of returning students.”

He however assured that the matter was being handled with relevant stakeholders to ensure that the controversies were resolved amicably.