By TINA TIMOTHY

The Save Public Education Campaign (SPEC) has frowned at the over 300% increment in school fees of Federal University of Technology Akure, Ondo State and has demanded the reversal of all hiked fees, describing the increment as cruel, insensitive and unresponsive.

In a press statement on Friday, January 19, 2024 signed by its Secretary, Damilola Owot, the group also extended solidarity with the students while demanding for immediate reopening of the school.

The statement reads: “The Save Public Education Campaign (SPEC) extends solidarity with the students of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), who recently protested against the astronomic increment in the fees payable by both the fresh and returning students of the school.

“We condemn this recent increment and demand its total reversal. We call on the staff union of this university to join the students in this struggle and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) to immediately declare national actions against the perpetual increment in fees across tertiary institutions in the country.

“Students of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), took to the streets on Monday, 15^th of January, 2023, to protest against the over 300% increment in the school fees payable by the students. According to the president of the FUTA Students Union, “parents of fresh students will now have to cough out over N200,000 while those of the returning students will pay in excess of N130,000 as fees for the new session.” We consider this as a high level of cruelty, insensitivity and unresponsiveness on the part of the management to impose such exorbitant fees on the students.”

The group expressed shock that the school authority claimed the hiked fees was “to ensure the smooth running of the university, procure certain consumables and pay for municipal services such as electricity, water, hostel maintenance and cleaning and sundry other services that are necessary”. It called on the Tinubu-led administration “to improve funding of education up to 26% of the budgetary allocations as recommended by UNESCO.”

The statement continues: “Similarly, we are dazed by the speech of the University’s Director of Corporate Communication, Mr Adegbenro Adebanjo, who said that “no tuition fee is charged” and that the new fee is “to ensure the smooth running of the university, procure certain consumables and pay for municipal services such as electricity, water, hostel maintenance and cleaning and sundry other services that are necessary…” We of SPEC wonder when Nigerian education has reached a stage where the students are the ones responsible for the cost of running the day-to-day activities of a public university.

“Hence, we call on the Tinubu/APC-led federal government to improve funding of education up to 26% of the budgetary allocations as recommended by UNESCO. We also demand a public probe into Adeniji’s led university management to uncover how the government’s interventions in the university have been spent since her inception into office. Only improved public funding can avert the FUTA crisis and others that may occur as a result of attempts to generate funds to maintain the university.”

Referring to other higher institutions of learning who took similar steps to achieve concessions, Owot stated that only a radical movement of students can result in significant reduction in the fees and urged the students to continue in their struggle.

The statement continues: “We commend the students of FUTA for taking this bold step and we call on steadfastness and continuity of the struggle. We agree with the FUTASU president, Olayemi Oluwasoromidayo, that a mere dialogue cannot bring about a significant reduction in the fees. As we have seen in Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), University of Lagos (UNILAG), and other institutions, only a radical movement of the students can win tangible concessions for the students.”

SPEC called on FUTA Joint Action Committee (JAC), National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and other well-meaning individuals and groups of individuals to join hands in the demand for a quality educational system, adding that Nigeria needs “a socialist government that will place the commanding heights of the Nigeria economy under the democratic control and management of the working people”.

“This is why we are calling for solidarity support from the staff unions of FUTA – Joint Action Committee (JAC), NANS, and other well-meaning individuals and groups of individuals. We believe that free, quality, and functional education is possible in Nigeria under a planned socialist economy. Let us all imagine that all of the billions of Naira that were announced to be looted were used to improve the educational facilities of the country; Nigeria today would be boastful of productive citizens who are products of a quality educational system.

“As we continue to demand better governance under Tinubu’s government, we should not be carried away by the few illusionary and cosmetic changes being announced on TV. What we need is a socialist government that will place the commanding heights of the Nigeria economy under the democratic control and management of the working people and it is on this cause that we of SPEC are premised. If you agree with us, join us today!” SPEC stated.

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