OAU Students Protest Tuition Hike

Students of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun state yesterday protested against hike in their school fees.

 The students, in continuation of their demand for 50 per cent reduction of the recent increase in fees payable by students of the institution, disrupted activities on the campus.

The students led by the leader of the Great Ife Students’ Union, Abbas Akinremi, shut the entrance gates in and out of the school preventing workers from accessing the campus.

The management of the institution announced a hike in the fee of stale and incoming students by over 100 percent but reduced it by 15 percent following students’ protest.

But, not satisfied by the 15 percent reduction, the students barricaded the gate of the institution early Tuesday thereby preventing workers from gaining access to the citadel of knowledge.

The protesting students also brandished placards with different inscriptions such as, “Education is bleeding, no need for celebrating independence”, “Let the Poor Breath, Fees must fall”, “My parents are poor, can’t afford exorbitant fees”, among others.

Addressing the gathering, Akinremi disclosed that the students would not stop disrupting activities in the school if the management refused to reduce the new fees by 50 per cent against the 15 percent reduction.

Meanwhile, the public relations officer of the institution, Mr. Abiodun Olarewaju said the school has not foreclosed negotiation with the student’s leadership but urged them to embrace peaceful dialogue rather than disruption of activities on campus.