By Nurat Uthman
According to Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), universities in Nigeria are facing dire circumstances when it comes to the pressure of producing high-quality graduates with limited resources.
She compared this situation to someone being forced to run a sprint race with their hands tied behind their back. Ogunsola expressed her support for peaceful student protests but warned against any violence.
She explained that even if all 35,000 students at UNILAG paid the new fee, it would only amount to about N800 million, which is not enough to cover the institution’s electricity bill of over N1.7 billion per year.
She also mentioned that the university had its power supply disconnected in May due to unpaid debts and was warned of further disconnection last month. Ogunsola pointed out that the recent withdrawal of fuel subsidy and fee hike have created challenges, and that fees should have been gradually increased over the years. The last fee increase at UNILAG was over 15 years ago.
The university began considering fee increases in January, and after approval from the Federal Ministry of Education, the new fee regime was set to be announced in July and payment to start in October.
However, the Council responsible for this decision was dissolved. Ogunsola also highlighted other expenses, such as spending N5,000 to verify each new student’s results, N160 million annually for conducting exams across faculties, and N200 million yearly for program accreditation and maintenance.
“Our hostels are ageing and need constant repair and maintenance, for that we spend about N500 million annually too. With the new rate, we can only generate about N800 million, we are pressed for finance. Lecturers are leaving in droves because of the condition of service and other issue. Only last week, five lecturers resigned. The error is that the increment should have been allowed all these years and it would have been gradual.
“If the federal government says will should revert to the old rate, we would have no choice but to comply, but many things would be negatively affected. For instance, our campus is the most energised regarding the provision of electricity and internet facilities. I stand to be corrected on this, that may have to be reduced drastically.
“Mind you, we have not passed all the costs to the students and their parents, we are still augmenting many items through the little we generate as internal revenue, but that is limited too. The government is also doing its own part by paying salaries of workers. This is a knowledge business and not buying and selling where you pass all the costs to the buyer.
“We have not mentioned the provision of facilities and infrastructure. In those days, universities themselves were building structures here and there, but now the revenue is grossly inadequate and it is only the intervention of TetFund that has been the saving grace,” she said.
On what would become the fate of indigent students, the VC stated that a number of steps had been put in place to ensure that no student of the university drops out.
“We have made the arrangement that students will first pay 50 percent of the fee while resuming, pay 20 percent by the time first semester examination would start and pay the remaining 30 percent in the second semester. Fees to be paid are, new students who are not going to make use of laboratories or studios, N126,325, those who will make use of laboratories and or studios, N176,325. Returning students in the above categories will pay N100,750 and N140,250. Medical students to pay N190,250.
“Also, before now, we have an internal programme that takes care of indigent students and by last year, we had 600 on the list we take care of. With the new intakes and regarding the situation on ground, we have the capacity to take care of thrice that number. The affected students only have to go to the office of the Dean of Students Affairs.
“We have Study Work Programme and we have increased the number of beneficiaries and the renumeration. After we reached out to friends of the university, last year alone, about 227 indigent students were adopted and supported by such individuals and organisations. Our Endowment Scholarship is also on. Let me tell you, from the number of students who have paid so far, we can say only few would fall into indigent student category,” she said.
On the insinuations that some students have been pencilled down for sanctions over last week’s protest at the school gate, she debunked such, saying there would never be anything like that.
“The Public Relations Officer of the National Association of Nigerian Students is a student of UNILAG and he is doing his job as the spokesman of the group. We are not listing anybody for punishment. I was at the gate and the DSA was also there when the protest took place last Wednesday. One thing I know is that most of the students who protested were not our students. Our students are on holiday and we have reached out to them through their leaders,” she said.
On whether the absence of a student union leadership in the university led to a gap in communication between the management and the students, the VC said other means had been used to get to the students.
On what the leadership of universities are doing to get the government to fund the system adequately, Ogunsola explained that determining what could qualify for adequate funding was relative.
“It is obvious that the government cannot do it all alone and that is why we are calling on public spirited individuals and corporate bodies to support the sector. The body of vice chancellors of universities has also written the new Minister of Education to congratulate him on his appointment and the need to make more funds available to the sector. We are hopeful,” she said.
Recall that last Wednesday, students from the university, joined by their colleagues from other institutions, protested at the main gate of the university.
The development followed the decision of the school to increase fees payable by the students by over 800 percent.
