UI Increases Students’ Hostel Accommodation Fees
The management of the University of Ibadan on Sunday announced increase in hostel accommodation for College Of Medicine commencing from the 2017/2018 session from N14, 000 to N30,000 for main campus .
This the ivory tower blamed the increase on lack of adequate funding from the federal government to cater for utilities in the institution.
According to the institution, it currently spends about N100 million every year over what is collected in running the hostel accommodation, adding that it was no longer sustainable.
It was gathered that while students currently pay N14,000 per bed-space, nothing that bed-space as at 2012 survey conducted by the institution was put at N59,650 per session.
To this end the Institution’s Senate/Parents Management Consultative forum has scheduled a meeting with staff, students and parents on the rationale behind the slight adjustment on Tuesday, this week.
The Senate also approved slight increment in chargeable fees for laboratory and studio (Arts (N5,000) maintenance fees; fees for professional health training (non-clinical (N75,000) & clinical N100,000); Pharmacy practice experience levy (N5,000), and Science laboratory levy (N7,500); Faculties of Agriculture (N5,000 to N7500), and Renewable Natural Resources upward review of the Practical Year levy (N15,000 to N17,500) for those in practical year while other students are to pay the old levy; ITeMS upward review of access fee for undergraduates (from N2,000 to N2,500) for improve internet access on campus.
However, fees payable by students in the Faculties of the Social Sciences, Law, Sciences, and Technology have not been adjusted for the coming session.
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Idowu Olayinka had earlier stated that the Premier University ,“is at a point where it is difficult to continue to subside the running of the Halls of Residence and carry out some academic functions without a slight adjustment in accommodation charges and in some fee items payable by students in some faculties.”
Explaining the reason for the increase in fees, the VC urged the public to note that it is only the increase in accommodation fees that cuts across students who desire to stay in the Halls of Residence adding that that “residency in the Halls of Residence is optional, and only about 30 per cent of our students can find accommodation in the Halls of Residence.
“It is also important to note that the Federal Government, many years back, had stopped providing funds for the running of the Halls. As a result, the University spends about N100 million over what is collected as accommodation fees, for the running of the Halls.
“The University is no longer in a capacity to continue to provide this subvention. The University has also been very objective in adjusting some other fee items.
“For instance, fees were only adjusted for students in the Faculties of Arts, Agriculture, Renewable Natural Resources, and Pharmacy.
“Even in these faculties, the fees are limited to categories of students requiring the academic service for which an increase has been approved. Let us give two examples. For instance, only 400 level students in the Faculties of Agriculture and Renewable Natural Resources are to pay additional 2,500 Naira. These are students in their practical year.
“All other students in the Faculties are not to pay these fees. In the Faculty of Arts also, only 200 and 300 level students in six departments are to pay the Studio Maintenance fees. Students in Departments without studios are exempted from these fees,”
