UNILAG Bows To Pressure, Reduces Fees

Following a series of protests by the students, the management of University of Lagos (UNILAG) has announced a review of its new fees, reducing it by a certain percentage as well as reinstating its Student Union Government that had been proscribed for decades among other resolutions.     

This much was made known, even as the management led by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Folasade Ogunsola on Thursday had a meeting with the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Usman Umar Barambu, and accompanied by top officers of the Association and UNILAG Faculty leaders drawn from nine faculties of the University and College of Medicine.

In a statement by Head, Communication Unit, Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem, the meeting resulted into reversal of obligatory fees, reversal of hostel fees and the reinstatement of Students’ Union Government SUG in UNILAG. Part of the fall out of the successful meeting between NANS and UNILAG include utility charges for all categories of students was reduced to N15,000:00 from N20,000:00; the obligatory fees for new undergraduate students was reviewed from N126,325:00 to N116,325:00 for Courses without Lab/Studio and N176,325:00 to N166,325:00 for Courses with Lab/Studio.

‘’Also the obligatory fees for returning undergraduate students was reviewed from N100,750:00 to N80,750:00 for Courses without Lab/Studio; N140,250:00 to N120,250:00 for Courses with Lab/Studio; and from N190,250:00 to N170, 250:00 for Medical / Pharmacy students and students in Health Professions.’’

Also it was agreed by both parties that the convocation fee to be paid by all final year students, be reduced to N27,000:00 from N 30,000:00. Others decision that reached a consensus include hostels fees being slashed to almost half the former price.

It was also noted that the VC would commence the process of reinstating students’ union activities in the University.

Earlier at the meeting, NANS President, Barambu highlighted the demands of UNILAG students and noted that the absence of Students Union Government (SUG) in UNILAG had adversely affected communication between the students and management, adding that with this reinstatement, the students would be able to channel their grievances appropriately through the SUG.

Professor Ogunsola who listed the challenges being faced by the University in view  prevailing economic realities, the struggle to realise its obligations to students, staff, and municipal service providers, among others. Ogunsola stated UNILAG’s commitment to the actualization of measures put in place to ameliorate the impact of the obligatory fees review.