Authorities of the Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Osogbo, the Osun State capital, on Sunday, said they might expel no fewer than 4, 410 students of the institution owing to backlog of tuition fees.
The vice chancellor of the institution, Professor Labode Popoola, had in January, raised the alarm over unpaid tuition fees, totalling over N2 billion by some students, saying the development was capable of crippling the university.
In a press statement signed by the head, Corporate Affairs Unit of UNIOSUN, Mr Jibola Oyekunke, the university said about 4, 410 students awaited loss of their studentship for failing to pay their school fees before the expiration of today’s, deadline set by the institution management.
According to the statement, “as of Saturday, February 25, a total of 4,410 students were yet to fulfil their obligations of making payment three days to the expiration of the deadline.”
It read in part: “It has been observed that many of the students owing the university school fees of between two and 11 semesters might have collected the money from their parents, but either “invested in the failed MMM scheme or diverted same to other purposes.”
“No fewer than 400 parents/guardians of the defaulting students have called the university helplines to report that they had long given money to their children/wards. The University however, stated that students who cannot meet up with the deadline and do not want their studentship terminated may apply in writing to the school authorities to grant them leave of absence for the current semester with a sworn affidavit, pledging to make payment before resumption from the leave of absence”.
“In its frantic bid to save the institution from an impending financial crisis, the Management had warned all returning students upon resumption to the ongoing 2016/2017 academic session that it would no longer tolerate non-adherence to the deadlines for payment and course registration as contained in the university calendar and students handbook”.
“The university Senate has made it clear to the public that at no time were school fees increased and has thus decided that no unregistered students should be permitted to write the First Semester Examinations, which commence on Monday, March 6, 2017. Defaulting students who do not seek for leave of absence will also have their studentship terminated”.
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