Hard pressed parents rail against UNILAG imposing more charges after fees’ increase
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Parents buffeted by stagnant incomes and rising living costs have protested against the University of Lagos (UNILAG) asking students to return to campus halls of residence with their own mattresses and other personal items.
UNILAG cited health reasons but parents lamented the demand is insensitive as they are struggling to cope with the recent increase in tuition, hostel, and other fees.
“UNILAG is becoming a secondary school where students are asked to come to school with their own beddings. It’s unbelievable. This is a university that has just increased tuition and hostel fees,” lamented one of the parents, who did not want their name published.
However, UNILAG Information Unit Head Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem explained the halls of residence are being renovated before the students resume later in the month.
“We asked the students to come with their own beddings for health reasons. That has been the practice for some time. It is not new. We are also working on the renovation of the various hostels. Some of them would be fully renovated before the students resume later in the month,” she said.
“Those whose renovation works might not be completed before the students resume, we are going to continue to work on them. We are working to make the hostels conducive for the students.”
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UNILAG defends raising fees
“As for the complaints that the hostel fees should be enough for the school to provide those items, we all know the situation in the country and the cost of the items. N65,000 for instance as a hostel fee for a year is not expensive going by what people pay for private accommodation,” Alaga-Ibraheem added, per Vanguard.
“The [UNILAG] management is mindful of the welfare of the students and we are making all efforts to make their stay on campus comfortable.”
UNILAG recently increased hostel fees to between N100,000 and N120,000 depending on type of hostel, up from N25,000. After protests by parents and students, the fees were reduced to between N65,000 and N85,000.
Emerald Suites, one of the private hostels near UNILAG, charges N184,500 per bed space for a four-person room and N200,000 per bed space for a two-person room.