The University of Ibadan (UI), Oyo State, has asked students to vacate their residences and go on a three-week break, a day after they protested the university council's approval of a hike in school fees.
According to a circular from the registrar, Ganiyu Saliu, the three-week break was to give students enough time to complete their online registration.
On Friday, students protested against the campus fee hike, disrupting academic activities including scheduled exams.
In April, months before the appointment and inauguration of the board, the school management increased school fees from an average of N20,000-N30,000 to about N200,000-N400,000. The announcement of the new fee regime sparked protests at the time.
The protests forced the university management to suspend the August deadline for payments and registration.
The council approves the increases
The university’s governing council, chaired by Bisi Akande, approved the fee hike at its meeting on Thursday. University spokesperson Joke Akinpelu confirmed this to PREMIUM TIMES on Friday.
Ms. Akinpelu also shared the statement containing the council's decision.
Article page with promotion of financial support
According to the statement signed by the university’s registrar, Mr Saliu, who also acts as the secretary of the council, the meeting approved September 4 as the payment deadline “to enable departments to download the lists of registered students in preparation for the first semester examination.”
The board ordered indigent students to take advantage of federal government student loans and other scholarships “offered by the university and other well-meaning philanthropists.”
It was added that the portal will not open after the deadline.
“The Board, while sympathetic to the students, noted that the review was necessary in light of current economic realities and the university’s commitment to ensuring quality teaching and research,” the statement said.
Renewed protests
The council's decision sparked a protest on campus on Friday, disrupting academic activities.
A campus publication, UCJ UI, reported that the protest also disrupted a scheduled test at the Abo Desalu Auditorium.
“The professor was escorted out of the theatre and students who had gathered to take an exam were told to leave, and the protesters made it clear that the boycott would be strictly enforced,” the report said.
Meanwhile, the students' union general secretary, Olaniyi Dolapo, told PREMIUM TIMES on Friday that the management of the institution had invited the union leaders for a meeting to address the situation.
“We are continuing the protest and we have a negotiation with the representative of the university management at 3 pm,” he told our reporter by phone on Friday.
The University responds with a three-week break
Following the meeting, the university management decided to close the school for three weeks.
The circular announcing the holidays, signed by Mr Saliu, asks students to vacate their residences at 2pm on Saturday.
He said the recess begins on Saturday, August 31 and will last until Friday, September 20.
He said that the first semester 2023/2024 exams will begin on Monday, September 23.
He said the registration portal will be closed on Friday, September 20, and will not reopen for fee payments or course registration after that deadline.
“The three weeks are to give students enough time to complete their online registration,” the circular reads in part.
He stressed that students who do not register properly will not be able to take exams.