Several education groups have joined the chorus of criticism against the University of Ibadan (UI) following rumors of an impending increase in tuition fees for incoming students. The Education Rights Campaign, a non-governmental organization, expressed vehement opposition to the purported hike in a statement released by Akin Paul on Tuesday, denouncing it as an assault on returning students and inherently unjustifiable due to its anti-poor implications.
The organization further lambasted the leadership of UI’s Students’ Union Government for allegedly acquiescing to the proposed tuition hike without adequately consulting the majority of students during a congress. According to the Education Rights Campaign, UI’s management’s contemplation of such a significant fee increment, purportedly exceeding 700 percent, at a time of widespread economic hardship across the country is unconscionable, considering the financial constraints faced by many families struggling to meet basic needs.
The Education Rights Campaign warned that if UI does not rescind the proposed fee structure, it anticipates widespread protests from students, parents, civil society organizations, and other concerned stakeholders. The group highlighted UI’s recent display of varying fees for incoming freshmen for the 2022/2023 academic session on its portal, which reportedly ranged from N230 to N412,000, contrasting sharply with the previous fee regime of N64,600 to N69,600.
Moreover, the organization asserted that UI’s administration lacks the moral authority and credibility to impose such a drastic fee hike, citing previous increases that failed to translate into tangible improvements in students’ learning and living conditions on campus. Stressing the urgency of the situation, the group emphasized that the university should not wait for extensive protests before reverting to the previous fee structure.
Responding to inquiries regarding the alleged tuition hike, UI’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Professor Peter Olapegba, refuted claims that new students for the 2023/2024 academic session were required to pay exorbitant fees as reported by various news platforms. Professor Olapegba clarified that no student had been instructed to pay such high amounts, asserting that the circulated information was false and urging students and stakeholders to await official announcements on the payment portal.
Professor Olapegba reassured concerned parties that UI would officially communicate any changes regarding tuition fees through the university’s payment portal once finalized. He emphasized the importance of waiting for official communication from the institution, cautioning against relying on unofficial sources for accurate information on tuition fees. When pressed about the possibility of a tuition hike, Professor Olapegba reiterated that any official decisions would be transparently communicated to the university community through established channels.
