FIC Report (Abia State) – The Governor of Abia State and Visitor to the Abia State University, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has directed the Management of the Abia State University to immediately cancel the increase in School Fees announced by it.
The Governor states that the increase which is by over 350% is unacceptable to the State Government, especially in view of the current economic realities in the country.
The Governor while acknowledging that it is becoming increasingly challenging for the University to play its role under the current fiscal regime, however, added that the University Management must understand clearly that it must ensure that children of the poor in the State are given the opportunity to access tertiary education.
Governor Ikpeazu further directs the University Management to engage with all relevant stakeholders in the University Community and have robust discussions before contemplating any geometric hike in School Fees, assuring that the State Government will continue to support the institution with subventions.
The Governor assures all students, parents and guardians of the University that their interests will consistently be protected by the State Government.
In relation to this ,our Correspondent went round to get a feel of the situation, many said while Abians and Nigerians groan under the current cash crunch and economic hardship, Abia State University, the only state owned University in Abia state should not have increased the school’s tuition fees to the chagrin of parents and students.
The social media is awash with different kinds of comments and reactions, all condemning the insensitivity of the management of the school towards the pains of the people.
A Staff of the University who craved anonymity reliably informed Abia that “everyone, including the Staff and Lecturers in the school are surprised by the development”.
“You know school fees increment is a sensitive issue and before it is done, all stakeholders are usually carried along to forestall a possible breakdown of law and order, but in this case, out of the blues we just saw a memo flying up and down that fees has been increased”.
The tuition is said to have increased from N112,000 to N500,000 and hostel accommodation from N40,000, to N800,000.
Every effort to meet the Vice Chancellor , Prof Maxwell Ogbulu proved abortive as he neither picked nor responded to the SMS sent to him, to get his own side of the story.
