UNICAL Fee Hike: Management / SUG Meet Ends In Deadlock
By Ukpa ABRAHAM
Following the recent increment in school charges by the Authority of the University of Calabar which led to a protest by students of the institution, the Management and the Student Union Government, had on Tuesday, December 12, 2023 met to dialogue on the issue for a possible resolution.
The meeting which lasted for hours was presided over by the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Florence Banku Obi at the Counseling Chamber of the institution.
During the meeting, the management went ahead to inform the Student Representative on the reasons the school had to bring in additional charges with regards to the economic realities and increasing inflationary in the country.
Responding, the SUG team led by Comr. Kichi Godsgift Akwo faulted the reasons and reminded the management of the consequences and devastating effect of the increment, if allowed, as the current inflation does not only affect the management of the school but every average Nigerian.
The Student body, further presented a template of the fees Nigerian students in the University of Calabar can afford and pleaded to the Management to consider the students as some have already gone into depression and frustration.
The Management scrutinized the fees template proposed by the Student leaders and brought out her reviewed fee template with a slight adjustment to the previous one earlier released.
The management also decided to reschedule the fees according to Faculty and departmental needs based on their facility requirements and turned down the proposal from the students.
The Student body in turn rejected the proposal from the School management and demanded for more time to enable the Student leaders to delibrate before commenting on it.
However, the Management adjourned the meeting to Wednesday, December 13 2023, for negotiation to continue while the Student Representatives insisted for a Thursday, December 14, 2023 date which was unanimously agreed by the two parties.
