The Concerned Students’ Against Tuition Fee (CSATF) group has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s led administration over commercialisation of education in the country.
CSATF which demanded for a total reversal of the University of Ibadan (UI) fees hike policy, noted that tension had increased as students are unable to raise the outrageous amounts required as school fees.
In a statement jointly signed by Aduwo Ayodele, Coordinator, and Olajide Olawale, General Secretary, CSATF called on parents, staff unions and the general public to join a protest scheduled for Friday, the 20th of September 2024.
The statement reads in part; “Public education, a basic right of citizens, which the Nigerian Government, by virtue of the provision of Section 18 of the 1999 Constitution, should guarantee to every citizen, occupies the center of development of any country. Acknowledging this fact, UNESCO recommends that every nation allocates at least 26% of her budget to education.
“The Nigerian Government has, however, never allocated this little to education. Rather, the budgetary allocation to education has dwindled as the years go by, tending towards total commercialization of education.
“The President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration, upon assumption of power, did not hesitate to contribute its quota towards full blown commercialization of education; instructing management of Universities to ‘look inward’ for funding. This action, coupled with the passage of the Student Loan Act, created to oversee approval and disbursement of loans, has led to the hike in fees ravaging varsities in the country, the University of Ibadan in particular.
“The outrageous fee increment in the University of Ibadan, among other neoliberal policies, spurred the protest of Tuesday, July 16 and Wednesday, 17, during which the management of University of Ibadan assured students that the Governing Council will sit to review fees. The Chief Bisi Akande-led Governing Council, however, unsympathetic to the plight of students, on the 29th of August, 2024, endorsed the outrageous fee hike, mandating students to pay within a six-day deadline lapsing on the 4th of September, 2024.
“Students on the night of Thursday, August 29, 2024, rejected the decision of the Governing Council and engaged in peaceful demonstrations to press home their demands for total reversal of fees. The protests continued on the 30th of August, when the management connived with the Aweda Bolaji-led leadership of the Students’ Union to frustrate the agitation of students.
“On the 31st of August, an internal memorandum was released declaring an unsolicited three weeks break and directing students to vacate the halls of residence in less than six hours. Students, however, protested peacefully, rejecting the management’s proposal and reiterating that the demand for total reversal will not change.
“Following the release of the internal memorandum of August 31, efforts had been concerted into repressing undergraduate students.
Undergraduate halls were locked down. Light was cut off from halls of residence. There were constant raids, wherein the security unit of the University enforced emptying students’ presence from the University vicinity. All these point to the fact that the three weeks break is not a mere ‘break’. Rather, it has been a ploy to suppress students’ agitation.
“As September 20, the management’s deadline for payment of fees draws nears, the tension in the air has increased. Students are unable to raise the outrageous amounts required as school fees.
“It is condemnable that the Students’ Union, which is meant to be the representative of the students community, has, under the leadership of Aweda Bolaji, subscribed to alms begging. In the face of the unconscionable hike in fees, the duty of the Students’ Union should be to stand with students. The Aweda Bolaji led administration has, over time, failed miserably at this, conniving with the management and Government in advertising Students loan, soliciting for alms and frustrating students’ agitations.
“Moreover, it is unprecedented that the University of Ibadan management seeks to deny students entry into halls of residence that have been paid for, making receipt of payment of fees the ‘ticket’ to gain access to halls. This, aside from the fact that only students who have paid (or have been shortlisted for the ensnaring Students Loan Scheme) will be allowed to sit for the exams scheduled to start on Monday, 23rd of September, according to the revised calendar.
“Against this backdrop, we encourage that students must continue to prevail on the University of Ibadan management and Government.
“Education is a social service, which must be primarily funded by the Government. Students and their poor parents cannot bear the burden of funding education.
“In the light of this, we encourage parents, staff unions and the general public to join the protest scheduled for Friday, the 20th of September, 2024.
“If public education is made ‘private’, it will lead to insecurity, both physical and intellectual poverty and more degeneration of the Nigerian society. It is with this understanding that every well-meaning member of the Nigerian society must lend voices to the fight for adequate funding of education.
“Our demands: total reversal of the fee hike policy_
“Fall of all duplicated fees
“Fall of all neo-liberal policies affecting public education
“Adequate funding of public education
“End to the victimization of the UI’SDC3 and its trend in UI
“Adequate supply of electricity.
“Withdrawal of all undue interference in the University of Ibadan Students’ Union.
“Democratic management of the University of Ibadan,”
Saharareporters