Students of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), on Thursday evening, began a protest around the main campus over a proposed increase in school fees for the 2021/2022 academic session.
It was gathered that the university authority had released a proposed school fees schedule for the 2021/2022 academic session which indicated an almost 100 per cent increment.
The school, whose students are still undergoing second-semester examinations, shockingly released a list of fees for each faculty in the upcoming session, which it termed, ”Proposed Schedule of Undergraduate Consolidated Service Charge.”
Irked by the proposed hike, the students converged at various hostels on Thursday evening after mobilising through social media platforms earlier in the day.
They described the increase as outrageous and vowed not to comply with the payment
The proposed fees indicated that fresh students across the faculties in the university are to pay a consolidated fee of N114,650 – N120,650, while older students are expected to pay between N85,000 – N95,000.
It was gathered that before the new development, old students in the institution paid a fee of N40,000, and new students N83,000.
A member of the Student Union Government, SUG, who did not want his name disclosed, said the students are uncomfortable with the increase.
“The students’ reaction is simple – we are not comfortable with the increment; even though the increment is inevitable, the amount they increased it to is too high. They doubled it, like a 105 percent increment, so it’s much.
“That is what we are agitating for – there should be a reduction. And compared to other federal universities, you would see that we pay higher unless we do not go on strike again. Unless we are going to take up the responsibility of settling ASUU and all that, we won’t be going on strike like other federal universities, then the amount is ok. Students are saying that if we will not be going on strike, the amount is ok,” he said.
Meanwhile, the university PRO said he was out of town and was unable to comment on the development.