No tuition hike in Ondo institutions – ODSG

By Adekola Afolabi
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Ondo State government on Thursday disclosed that it has not increased tuition fees in all its state owned universities.

Government reacted to rumour mills that tuition fees was increased, describing such as nothing but absolute fallacy and total distortion of reality.

It would be recalled that some students of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko and that of University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, took to the streets in Akure two days ago to protest what they called “astronomical increase” in their school fees.

But speaking on the development, Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Yemi Olowolabi urged the public to disregard the purported increase in the tuition fee, saying that there was no increment in any form.

 He advised students of the two universities to disregard the rumour and face their studies rather than being misled by rumour mongers who are only out to discredit the state government.

Olowolabi said that the protesters were not students of any of the state institutions but “professional student leaders” sponsored by some disgruntled politicians”.

The commissioner added that the current school fee payable by students  was negotiated and finalized last year with relevant stakeholders, including the visitor to the University and Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, students and their parents, pointing out that the various media reports indicating that students from Ondo State tertiary institutions have taken to the streets in the last 24 hours to protest the recent hike in school fees was untrue.

He disclosed that what is payable today, and which the students have been paying is still between N70, 000 and N150, 000, payable twice, as negotiated about one and a half years ago.

The Commissioner further said the advertorial in the national dailies published on Thursday also indicated that OSUSTECH and AAUA have denied the purported hike in school fees.

“Not only that, the governor also said that the Governing Council should allow the students to pay twice. So,  for instance, if you are paying N70, 000 in your department, you can pay N35, 000 twice. And this has been the regime in this school, and there has not been any increase as at today.

“So, the recent protests, from all our investigations, it is clear that the protests embarked upon are being sponsored by some disgruntled politicians. This is very clear. There is no evidence of hike in school fee anywhere in this state in the last one year.

In due course they will all be exposed. But for the purpose of educating the public, we have not increased school fee in any of our schools”, Olowolabi stressed.