Ambrose Alli Uni Hikes New Students Fees by Over 100 Percent

Authorities of Ambrose Alli University (AAU),
Ekpoma have increased school fees for new
students for the 2015/2016 academic year by
over 100 per cent with fresh students of the
College of Medicine required to pay N161,500.
This development, is
generating concern among parents, students and
even AAU staff whose wards are among the new
students.
Besides the increase in the school fees, the new
students, especially Medical students, are
expected to pay an Acceptance Fee of N75,000,
while other course would attract N60,000.
A breakdown of the new fee structure revealed
that students admitted to Faculties of Arts, Social
Sciences and Fine and Applied Arts are to pay
N97,750 (old students N34,500); students of
Economics, Public Administration, Business
Administration and Banking & Finance are being
charged N111,500 (old students N40,000).
Students admitted into Natural Science,
Agriculture and Education Physiology are to pay
N113,500; new students for Engineering, Natural
Sciences, Architecture and Building are charged
N124,000, and for College of Medicine which has
the highest fee, fresh students would pay
N161,000 (old students N47,000) as well as
N75,000 as Acceptance Fee.
Others are: Medical Laboratory Sciences,
Anatomy, Nursing, Law and Accounting to pay
129,000 (old students: N47, 000); new students of
the Institute of Education are now to pay
N111,500 (old students N40, 000).
Following protests by the AAU Students’ Union
and concerned parents, the university
management agreed that new students should
pay the new fees in two instalments.
“All fresh students of AAU and their parents/
guardians are hereby informed that the university
management has graciously approved that the
school fees for the 2015/2016 academic session
can be paid in two installments,” read the
statement by Chris Adamaigbo, Deputy Registrar,
Information/Public Relations Officers.
It warned: “All fresh students are to note that the
deadline for the payment of the first instalment
of the school fees is 20th January, 2016. The
university management expects all fresh
students, their parents/guardians to take
advantage of this opportunity by promptly paying
the first instalment of their school fees for the
2015/2016 academic session on or before the
deadline of 20th January, 2016.”
Parents and the Education Rights Campaign
(ERC) kicked against the hike and called on
Governor Adams Oshiomhole to order its reversal.
ERC in a statement made available to newsmen
and signed by the National Coordinator and
Secretary, Hassan Taiwo and Ogundele Michael
respectively, described the fee hike as “anti-poor”
and demanded its immediate and unconditional
reversal.
“Coming from a state governed by the All
Progressive Congress (APC) which promises
Change, this attempt to price education out of
the reach of children of the poor is unacceptable.
The ERC demands immediate and unconditional
reversal of the hiked fees. We also call for
improved funding and democratic management of
the institution.”
A parent, Mr. Roland Osaro, whose ward was
offered admission to read Law appealed to
Governor Oshiomhole to reverse the increment
noting that with his meagre salary, he could not
afford to pay the N129,000 and N50,000
Acceptance Fee.
At the same time, Students’ Union President
Khalifa Oshomole told our Correspondent on
phone from AAU the union is concerned with the
fee hike and has appealed to the state
government and university management for a
reduction.

(SOURCE : THE SUN)