By: Sonaike Peter

Some parents have expressed concerns over spike in UI protracted tuition fee.

Parents are worried that the increased fees might force their children to leave the University abruptly, explaining further that the reason they sent their children to the premier university was because it was formerly affordable.

Parents also argue that as a public institution, the University of Ibadan should provide accessible education, asserting that fee increment undermines that value.

Parents like Mrs. Mary Adeoye, the mother of Timileyin Adeoye, a 100 Physics student, voiced out her concern over the hiked fees. She described the development as detrimental to many families.

In her words, she said, “the fee hike will put significant financial strain on countless families, making quality education less attainable for deserving students.”

She also warned that the fee increase could negatively impact Nigeria’s public educational system, potentially leading to lower enrollment rates and higher dropout rates among current students.

Mrs. Adeoye suggested that the fee hike should be reconsidered and reversed by the school management.

“The effect this increment will cause is that there will be reduction in enrollment rates. The inability to meet the increased fees means a low enrollment since many of the current students will not be able to pay the extra costs,” Mrs. Adeoye said.

“Another thing is that there will be increased dropout rates, and existing students may find the new fees hard to meet, which will make them drop out of school,” she added.

Mrs. Adeoye also expressed a heartfelt appeal to both the University management and the Nigerian government to prioritize accessibility, affordability, and quality in the public university system.

She emphasized the need for increased scholarships and financial aid to help more students access quality education.

Additionally, she called for improvements in infrastructure, services, and overall standards in public universities to ensure that the higher costs are justified. According to her, the future of students hinges on these critical changes.

“As a parent, I kindly appeal to the University management and the government of Nigeria to ensure that accessibility, affordability and quality are embraced in the Nigeria public university system. That is what their future depends on,” she concluded.

Another parent, Mrs. Iyabo Yusuf, the mother of Yusuf Ayomide, a penultimate student from the Faculty of Education, attributed the recent fee hike to the poor state of the economy, marked by inflation and rising fuel costs.

“The government must address the economic challenges we face. By improving the economy, fees could be reduced,” she said.

Mrs. Iyabo urged the management to consider the students’ plight and offer support during these tough times.

Mrs. Mayowa, a widow and the mother of Adam, a first-year student from the Faculty of Technology, criticized the fee increase as indicative of governmental neglect toward its citizens.

“The increment came at the wrong time when families are managing. No food, no market, the economy is bad. The government is not making our welfare paramount at all,” she said.

She expressed concern about the rising cost of food and the poor state of the economy, arguing that the fee hike is unjustifiable. To address the situation, she proposed that parents might need to organize protests to make their grievances known to the government, suggesting that this could be a potential solution.

“I think we parents of average students might need to take to the streets to protest and cry to the government to come to our rescue. This is necessary as parents of many students in school are involved in very small-scale businesses that cannot address the issue of the fee increment,” she admonished.

Mrs. Oyeyemi Aduwo, a parent emphasized that this increase exacerbates the already dire financial situation faced by students and their families, who are struggling with hunger and financial strain.

Mrs. Oyeyemi called for a total reversal of the fee hike, stressing that education should be a right, not a privilege, and that the united voices of students and parents must be heard.

She urged the respect for the human dignity of Nigerians and appealed for the authorities to address the concerns of the masses, highlighting that many cannot afford the increased fees.

“The students are crying. The Parents are groaning. We are Nigerians who should enjoy the dividend of democracy. Education is a social service; it should not be commodified. Education is a right,” she added.

With the fee payment deadline looming, parents of UI students are increasingly anxious about their children’s prospects.

As students seek assistance from organizations to cover their tuition, parents are calling on the government and university management to step in and address the rising fees.