From Tony Osauzo, Benin
The Forum of Former Students’ Union Leaders (FOFSUL) of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma in Edo State has condemned the recent hike in tuition fees of the institution.
Besides, the Forum criticised the operations of the Special Intervention Team (SIT) set up by Governor Godwin Obaseki, pointing out that the Team has put the school in reverse.
The National President of the Forum, Ifijen Isaac, in a statement, said the members share the burden placed on the students and called on the Visitor of the University, Governor Godwin Obaseki, to reverse the decision.
“Our attention has been drawn to the trending publication of the increment of the tuition fee with over 300% for 100 level, direct entry and returning students of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma.
“We wish to state clearly, that we condemn this in all its forms, as it is anti-people and anti-development.
“Before the coming of the Special Intervention Team, it would appear that the University was on the path of growth, but with their coming, all that has changed, as the university has become a shadow of itself. The Forum of Former Students’ Union Leaders reject in totality the increment in fees and wishes to use this medium to tell the students of the school that FOFSUL which is made up of all former students’ union leaders is with them and ready to join forces in correcting this abominable act by the Special Intervention Team”.
The statement lamented that the goals of tertiary education as stipulated in the Nigeria Education Policy document (1981:7) have been defeated by the policies of the current administration.
“As it stands, Edo State is obviously not an industrial hub neither is the institution of international standard (not even the first two thousand on global ranking) that would warrant such astronomical increase.
“There has been speculation about the state government’s plan to close down the citadel of learning. This plan and subsequent implementation have now become glaring with the latest development. Since the dissolution of the duly constituted Governing Council by the visitor to the university and the Governor of Edo State, the educational standard of the school has dropped to its lowest in decades.
“The welfare of the student’s no longer matter; the hostels have lost their glamour and attraction. They have become a household of overgrown grasses, leaking roofs, and broken sewage pipes, home to reptiles in the midst of high insecurity.
“Students now pay to build hostels for the university. Students who don’t even have vehicles are being made to pay for vehicle access cards, courtesy of the Special Intervention Team.
“It is on record that Ambrose Alli University Ekpoma is the only tertiary institution with barricades for the purpose of raising revenue at the expense of poor students and staff, including visitors,” the statement bemoaned the state of affairs at the institution.