Adeyemi varsity fees hike based on economic realities – PRO

The Adeyemi Federal University of Education, Ondo, has defended the recent increase in the convocation charges and certificate related fees for graduates of the institution, attributing it to economic realities in the country.

It was reported that the 2021/2022 academic set of students of the institution on Friday submitted their protest letter to the school’s management.

The students decried the management’s decision to withhold their academic records until all the increased fees are paid, saying that if the decision was not rescinded, they would disrupt the planned convocation of the institution.

Defending the management decision in an interview with our reporter in Akure on Friday, the institution’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mrs Oluseto Olatuyi, said it was to meet up with the economic realities in the country.

“Going by the economic happenings in the society, there was need to increase the fees to enable the institution to carry out its duties,” she said.

Olatuyi advised the aggrieved students to engage the management, rather than threatening the peace and academic activities of the institution.

“I want to clarify that Adeyemi Federal University is calm and peaceful and nothing like a protest.

“It is true that some of our students submitted their protest letter on the increase in the convocation charges.

“Yes. If we increase fees, it’s based on the economic realities in the country, they can only engage the management to reduce it, but not by threatening to disrupt the school’s activities or shut down the academic programmes.

“Some of the students came yesterday and we had a meeting with them on whether there would be review in the charges, not that they should issue a threat.

“In the country now, prices of goods and services have gone up. So, how do we operate a system without funds?

“It does not sound well and logical that you want to destroy the system. These are documents you will carry for years.

“Education has moved beyond the age of protesting on everything; that is why government came up with student loan scheme so that if you can’t pay school fees, you can get a loan and pay. It’s done all over the world,” she stated.

It was also reported that the letter described as unjustifiable, the increase of the convocation gown and booklet from ₦10,000 to ₦30,000, while the certificate collection fee has increased from ₦15,000 to ₦25,000.