Why we increased tuition fees of fresh students —UNIOSUN VC

THE vice chancellor of the Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Osogbo, Professor Labode Popoola, says the prevailing economic situations in the country and lack of funding from the Osun State government are the major reasons the management of the university had to increase tuition fees.

But, according to him, the new fees regime will only be applicable to new students who have secured admission to study in the university.

Addressing a press conference on the campus of UNIOSUN, Professor Popoola said: “I would like to put the record straight that the review in school fees is not applicable to returning students (students in 200 to 400/500 levels of study).

“This means that students from 200 Level to 500 Level will pay the old school fees till the completion of their respective degree programmes in the university.”

“We all know the economic situation in the country as it is affecting the states and other tiers of government, including Osun State and its government. Arising from this, the government has not been able to adequately fund the university for a while. At every opportunity, the Visitor has made clear his fervent desire to support the institution, but that the government is incapacitated.”

Popoola said that in arriving at the revised fees, all sectors of the university community, including relevant stakeholders like the alumni association, students, workers’ unions and parents’ forum, were carried along.

“This review is based on need, and also necessitated by the financial challenges being experienced by the university and the need to take an urgent step such as this to save the university from imminent shutdown,” he said.

“If we retain the school fees at the old rate, the university’s financial capability to pay salaries and meet its recurrent expenditures will not endure beyond the next three to six months. Of course, the result of this is predictable. I doubt if there any responsible parents and members of the public out there that would wish that this university be shut down for whatever reason,” he said.

According to him, with the review, the highest fee payable is N235,500 for Nursing, Law and Public Health students, beside the caution and acceptance fees that every newly admitted student is expected to pay at the point of entry. Students pursuing other courses apart from Engineering will pay less than N200,000.