Unizik reduces tuition fees after days of protest by students of the university

Following days of protest by students at Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, the university's administration has slashed tuition fees.

This comes after a meeting between the university's Students Union Government (SUG) and the school administration.

Students have been protesting the increase in fees for days, and they have also stopped the Enugu - Onitsha road, demanding an immediate reduction in fees.

Unizik, the students claimed, was one of the most expensive federal government-owned institutions in the country, and that their parents and guardians could no longer afford the tuition.

The university's management, on the other hand, engaged in negotiations with members of the SUG and eventually struck an agreement on Friday, setting the way for a smooth matriculation ceremony, which took place yesterday.

Incoming medicine, pharmacy, and science-based students will now pay N89,000 instead of the over N100,000 formerly charged, while arts-based students will pay N84,000.

Returning students' fees have also been slashed, from over N53,000 to N40,000 for scientific students and N22,200 for arts students.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), Professor Joseph Ikechebelu, who led the negotiating team expressed delight that normalcy, had finally returned after the tension–soaked situation of the past few days.

Other officials of the university who took part in the negotiation are the director of Academic Planning, Professor Ike Odumegwu, Deputy registrar, Mrs. Philomena Okoye, Special Assistant to the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Carol Arinze –Umeobi, a Council member, Professor Umenweke and Bursar, Dr. John Ojukwu.

The DVC said: “The management of the university and the entire students’ body are in total agreement with the new schedule of fees. This has put to rest the information making the rounds that the students are agitating for fee reduction. With this agreement, any further protest would be considered irrational and anybody involved in it should be prepared to face the consequences.”

The vice president of the SUG, Ukoha Chito, who stood in for the president, Mr. Anyim Chukwuemeka, said the students were happy that the negotiations that lasted for five days had come to a successful end.

“We are happy to inform our students that there has been a reduction in fees payable by the students and this development is good for both the students and the management of the university. We assure that with this agreement, there would be no more protests of any kind in the university,” she said.

Both the university's management and students agreed that no more protests should be organized on campus, and that anyone who did so would be considered a non-student of the institution and may be detained and prosecuted.