Some students and ex-students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) under the aegis of the Students Solidarity Group Against Fee Hike have condemned the new method of extortion in the university where students paid N25,000 cash and issued N9,000 receipts.
The student group in a statement issued on Thursday said the new extortion of new students which is currently going on at the Faculty of Arts is tagged: “Faculty Registration and Damages”.
In the statement titled: “25,000 Cash, 9,000 Receipt,” Students Solidarity Group Against Fee Hike, wondered when education became where students would be charged for “caution fee or damages.”
“Our attention at the Students’ Solidarity Group Against Fee Hike has been drawn to an ongoing extortion in the University of Lagos and this particular case, at the Faculty of Arts.
“In addition to the over N200,000 obligatory fees, freshers at UNILAG are now forced to cough out N25,000 as a fee to be paid during Faculty registration, even though the amount written on the receipt is N9,000.
“What’s happening in our ivory towers?” The group queried, adding “How desperate are the Authorities to milk poor students and their parents?”
It added, “In one of the receipts obtained by the Secretariat, N9000 was written on paper, though N25,000 cash was received. We also learned that transfers were rejected, only cash was allowed.
“Also on the receipt is the caption- “Faculty Registration and Damages”. This sounds strange to anyone who has gone to school and the University Authorities must step in, if it is not involved in this to save the school from further embarrassment.
“Damages for what exactly? When did education become an AirBnB where you pay caution fee or damages?”
The students’ group, however, demanded that the fee and the collection of same should be probed immediately by relevant stakeholders, promising that it would not allow the extortion to continue.
“We want to assure everyone involved in this extortion that this won’t be allowed to slide and that this just like other criminal fee hikes will be resisted.
“September 6th, 2023 will be the beginning of several protests against fee hikes and we ask that all Nigerian students take to the streets to fight against the commercialization and privatisation of public education. Dare to struggle! Dare to win.”