New School Fees Yet To Reflect On The Payment Slip As Registration Ends

With just about 48 hours to the close of the extended time for the student normal registration, the management of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife is yet to implement the publicly announced reduction in the school fees.

In response to the requests of the Students' Union condition for truce in its school fees struggle, the Management had earlier on 20th of August in an emergency meeting which the Division of Students' Affairs had with the Students' Union leaders announced the meager reduction in the hiked school fees. A section of the response Release reads:

2. Review of the fees:

The following reductions were made in the fees;
*Fresh Students: No reduction
*Returning Students:
~Humanities and Social Sci. No reduction
~Sciences and Technology N27,700
~Pharmacy & Health Sci. N30,700
For those who have paid, the deducted funds will be forwarded to coming sessions and that of finalists will be forwarded to the Alumni charges.

 OAU students' reactions to the announcement of the selective reductions then clearly showed their rejection of it as they expected a better reduction. However, the Students' Union leaders in their reactions indicated their will to subject the Management's reply to students popular interests and decision.

The deadline of August 29 was set immediately the reduction was announced which was supposed to mean a week grace for students to pay the reduced school fees. However, as at the time of filing this report, the online Payment Slip used by students to remit their school fees still bears the formerly increased fees, meaning the reduction was not effective.

The implication of this is that any student who wishes to remain a bonafide student of the citadel is left with no other option than to pay the increased fees. Banks designated for the school fees payment have since refused to receive any payment contradictory to what is reflecting on the Payment Slip. One of the Bank Officials of Diamond Bank, Ile-Ife that our correspondent spoke with today confirmed that the Management has not given them any directive to accept any reduced fees as it was not reflecting on the Payment Slip. Many students who went to various banks with the exact amount of the reduced fees were stranded at the banks as every efforts to make the Bank Officials understand the new development proved abortive.

It will be recalled that the OAU Students' Union in its Press Statement on Sunday, August 23, 2014 counted the further reduction of N3,000 as parts of the gains of the struggle against school fees hike. Many students have continued to ask questions lately ranging from; Is OAU Management deceiving Nigerians about the further reduction? or Why has the Students' Union not in their latest Press Statement addressed the non-reflection of the new school fees figure on the Payment slip since they have counted it as one of their gains?

Any payment beyond tomorrow (Thursday 28th August, 2014) will attract a yet to be made public penalty.