Warns hike will aggravate drop-outs
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State has condemned the hike in tuition of University of Medical Sciences, Ondo (UNIMED) by the state government.
It warned that the increment would increase the number of out-of-school students in the state. The state Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Kennedy Peretei, in a statement made available to journalists in Akure, yesterday, decried the increase in tuition, saying it “is a notice for parents to withdraw their children.”
Peretei said that Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu had never hidden his penchant for increasing fees in tertiary institutions since he assumed leadership of the state in 2007.
“The recent astronomical hike in the fees payable by students in the Ondo State Government-owned University of Medical Sciences, Ondo (UNIMED) by the government is a silent notice to parents who cannot afford the new fees regime to withdraw their children.
“Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko and Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa, had suffered serial closures over students’ protests over fees hike.
“The Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, shrank to a student population of 1,753 from over 9,000 due to fees increase. Most private residential accommodation for students in Owo is now empty. Even the economy of the ancient city has been adversely affected.
“Parents and students of UNIMED received shockers of their lives when they noticed increment of fees with nearly 120 per cent for 2021/2022 session.
“No explanation was given for this hike. Medical students have to pay as much as N1,320,000.00 as against N515,000.00 payable in the previous academic session (2020/2021),” the statement read.
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