Students of the Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa (OSUSTECH) on Monday threatened to embark on a massive protest should the state government reduce the new tuition for their colleagues at the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, (AAUA).
The students disclosed that they will protest the over N150, 000 tuition payable in their institution for several years.
At a press conference in Akure, the Ondo state capital, the sudent union leader of OSUSTECH, Comrade Ifeoluwapo Philips who qas accompanied by over a hundred students, also condemned the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) for leading the protest against the tuition increment in AAUA.
The students’ leaders alleged that NANS was not sincere as it abandoned OSUSTECH and pretended to be supporting the students’ populace in AAUA.
He said “It is with surprise and disbelief that we watch NANS leading the students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko as events unfold on the issue of determination of what should be proper tuition payable by students of the sister University.
“It is a known fact that education, quality one for that matter, is not free anywhere in the world, hence there is the need to pay for it.
“The recourse of NANS to lead students of AAUA to take to the streets to protest the new fee regime is totally condemnable, especially as students of other Ondo State-owned Tertiary institutions – namely – Ondo state University of Science and Technology (OSUSTECH), University of Medical Sciences, Ondo (UNIMED) and Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo have been paying higher tuition before now
“With the present economic situation, how is it feasible for students of a state – owned institution that want to compete with their peers in world – class institutions in terms of academic, research and entrepreneurship, think they can continue to pay between N23, 000 and N37, 000 fees per session.
“Although we do want to go into the details of the situation at AAUA, our position is that if the state government should revert to the old tuition at Akungba, our tuition at OSUSTECH would have to be reduced to between N23, 000 and N37, 000 per session as well. What’s sauce for the goose should be sauce for the gander,” the students’ leaders said.
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