Students of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) in Osun State have staged a protest against the increase in school fees. The students gathered on the university’s premises early Tuesday morning, holding placards with messages like “When I used to pay 20k, I had to borrow money. Why should I pay 90k? #FeeMustFall,” “I cannot afford to drop out. #FeeMustFall,” and “My mother sells Fufu, my father rides Okada. How do you expect me to find 90k? #FeeMustFall.”
The Secretary-General of the university’s Students’ Union, Akinboni Opeyemi, confirmed the protest and expressed the students’ disagreement with the current tuition fees.
Earlier, on September 26, the Students’ Union had urged students to suspend payment of tuition fees following a reduction in the proposed fee hike by the university’s management. The university management had reviewed the fees after discussions with the students’ leaders, who had demanded a 50% reduction in the initially proposed fees before settling for a 15% reduction.
The reduced charges are as follows:
– Returning students in the Humanities: Initial fees of N89,200 reduced to N76,000.
– New students in the Humanities: Initial fees of N151,200 reduced to N131,000.
– Returning students in Sciences and Technology: Initial fees of N101,200 reduced to N86,000.
– New students in Sciences and Technology: Initial fees of N163,200 reduced to N141,000.
– Returning students in Pharmacy and College of Health Sciences: Initial fees of N128,200 reduced to N109,000.
– New students in Pharmacy and College of Health Sciences: Initial fees of N190,000 reduced to N164,000.
The university management also allowed the fees to be paid in two equal installments. The students’ union, however, remains focused on achieving a 50% reduction in the initial proposed fee. They have requested that all financial institutions suspend payments from OAU until their demands are met and have warned of the possibility of shutting down campus activities if the school authorities do not address the issue adequately.