AAUA TUITION: MATTERS ARISING.

If feelers are anything to go by, it looks obvious that the tuition fee of Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba would be jerked up. The Governor had made conscious pronunciation towards this and looks like is making efforts to make sure it happens.

As days go by, Government continues to make defence for its intending action, several reasons are been thrown to the public as defence to what could be an historical event in the citadel of learning.

AAUA is currently the lowest paying State University after Lasu. It had remained fixed at the same price for over a decade and it continues that way. Government pundits argue that the fee is not in line with current realities. As the school needs more money than before. Not far from the truth, every sensible person must agree with the assertion that the school needs more money. The school is far from Standard.

However, the prevailing question is where should this fund come from?

AAUA is an underfunded institution, it has been so from beginning. It is grossly and highly underfunded. Government pay ridiculous subventions to the University. Infact, MOST of major projects of infrastructure in the University are ETF/TETFund projects. If there are 100buildings in AAUA, I assure you that 80 of them are ETF/TETFund projects.

For example: The biggest hall I e the Obasanjo MulitPurpose hall is an ETF Project, the School library is one. Most of the new lecture theatre are projects funded by Federal Government interventions. And these are mostly products of several of ASUU'S Struggle over Underfunding of Education Nationwide.

Infact the only legacy project by the State Government is the Senate Building which the necessity and price is very debatable but not discussions for now. Save for random projects as Gym, Sport centre and a few others. There is almost nothing that the school has done through State Subventions and interventions.

Every Vice Chancellor has hitherto always claimed of lack of funds from the State Government to embark on massive projects. One would wonder, if the school was not "lucky" to have these ETF/TETFund projects, how shabby and haggard would it be currently? Would the State Government have abandoned it like it did to OSUSTECH and other unnecessary institutions it created.

The large question would be.

How can a Government raise the issue of TUITION increment when it had not raised the issue of increasing the funds its releases to the University?

Why should Students be made to bear the brunt of Government excesses, carelessness, and misappropriation ?

One cannot overlook the lack of transparency in running organization and institutions amongst the government. The school does not publish its record. We do not know how the school runs, its running cost and many other things.

For example: The School collects 52,000naira from new students under a fraudulent tag called "acceptance fee". The School offers people admission and then force them to pay a ridiculous amount of 52,000naira to accept the admission, this practice is conventional amongst institutions, however it doesn't change the obvious that it is fraudulent.

Two years ago. The school forced all its over fourteen thousand students to pay what it termed "reparation fee". A fee of 15,000naira per person. The school realised over 200million from this act and never accounted for it. 200million naira in pockets of who is who?

The School collects all sort of fraudulent fees like " back end registration " The school even charges ENT/GST fees to 300 and 400level students who do not offer the course. Several of these hidden charges goes unchallenged because of the dying culture for vibrant and virile Student Unionism on the campus.

If the school turns around and claims to be broke, or need more money, isn't it responsible to show records of finance to prove this?

The State Government on its own must be willing to show us records of the subventions and other funds its released to University in the last Five years.

It should also release the State Governments budgetary allocation in the last five years.

Most importantly, let it show us her budget for this year and see how much is budgeted to education.

The Governor should also be reminded that the minimum wage is 18,000naira, nobody that is placed under this wage buys a shoe of 150,000naira.

Education must not be priced out of the reach of the poor.

Timileyin Tombellz Ogundare.
Former Student Activist.
Lagos.

APC government means nothing else but hardship.
This school is one of cheapest in terms of fees, why should increase in the fees be this high?

I can't wait to get a Canadian visa

Come to NOUN!

How much is Dubai visa..