Unical Management Suspends New Tuition Fees
By Ukpa ABRAHAM
The University of Calabar (UNICAL) management has suspended the new tuition fees announced recently.
In a statement by the registrar of the University Of Calabar Mr. Gabriel Egbe, the vice chancellor directed that the payment of school charges by undergraduates of the institution be put on hold until further notice.
The directive is coming on the heels of a protest embarked upon by students of the institution over the recent adjustment in undergraduate school charges.
In the release, the registrar said that the management of the institution is a listening administration and has accordingly assured the students as critical stakeholders that appropriate arrangements have been put in place through constructive engagements with the students to resolve the matter.
Management however commended the students for the mature, reasonable and civilized manner exhibited towards resolving the matter.
Management promised to consider the charges with regard to the current economic situation of the country.
At the early hours of Monday December 4, the students had embarked on a peaceful demonstration over hike in the institutions charges for undergraduates.
The students numbering over 100 carried placards with various inscriptions "We don't want to do yahoo to pay school fees" "We don't want to do hook up" " Education is our right" and blocked the diff9entrance of the road including Etta-Agbo road which made commuters and other road users to take alternative routes.
The students described the increment as a plot to deny them right to education owing to the economic realities of the country.
They said the hike is 200% of the previous school fees and vowed to remain on a peaceful protest until the management makes a U-turn concerning the issue.
A student who spoke to The Beagle News Bright Edet lamented the sudden increment in school fees and wondered why education cannot be made easy for the common man in a democratic setting.
"The previous school fees was forty seven thousand Naira (₦47,000) but has suddenly risen to one hundred and thirty five thousand naira (₦135,000).
"Our parents cannot afford this amount at this critical time of economic downturn, how can house rent be equivalent to school fees in a federal university?
"We are going to remain on the streets until our demand is met and we call the federal government to intervene on the matter in the best interest of Nigerian students in the university of Calabar".
Earlier in an interview, the President, Student Union Government, University of Calabar Comr. Godsgift Kichi, said the union was past of the senate meeting where the decision of increment was taken but wasn't specifically told about the exact memo of school charges.
"Truly the SUG was part of the meeting but the decision about the amount wasn't discussed with the union before it was released.
"We will go back to the drawing board and talk to the management to consider the students with regard to the current economic situation of the country and come up with a positive response in the best interest of our students as we promised upon assumption of office" he added.
The SUG president along with his EXCOs pleaded with the students to remain peaceful and law abiding as everything concerning school fees hike will be addressed soon.
