LASU students reject fees reduction

 

 

Students of the Lagos State University have rejected the slash in the tuition announced by the Lagos State Government.

The students urged the government to consider a 67 per cent reduction across board.

The state government had on Wednesday announced a 34 to 60 per cent reduction in the tuition fees across the different faculties and courses in a bid to put an end to the months of unrest that had plagued the institution.

But the Students Union Government, at a press conference in Ogba, Ikeja on Thursday, described the old fees as “satanic, dream killing and outrageous.”

The President of the SUG, Nurudeen Yusuf, added, “But we do not accept the 34 to 60 per cent reduction of the government because in 2011 when the fees were increased, it was not done on percentage level; rather, they made the pronouncement in Naira and Kobo.

“We urge the government to come out in words as to how much will be paid by our students in Naira and Kobo and not in percentage. How do they expect our parents, the market women scrambling to pay our fees, to calculate the percentage?”

Yusuf said the students doubted the sincerity of the government in finding a lasting solution to the crisis, alleging that the report of the panel was selectively adopted.

“The government is only trying to play games with our future. We question their sincerity on this matter because the pronouncement of the fee was as a result of a visitation panel set up by the government of which the report was selectively adopted,” Yusuf added.

He said the students would only accept a percentage fee reduction on the condition that the fees were reduced by 67 per cent across board.

He demanded a public apology from the state government and the Commissioner of Police for the “detention and brutalisation of the students during the protests.”