Gbenro Adesina
Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, has slashed the tuition of students of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, a week after he promised to review the tuition for state-owned higher institutions.
This is coming a few weeks to the state’s governorship election scheduled for September, 2020.
It would be recalled that on assumption of office in 2017, Akeredolu did an upward review of the tuition fees of the institution, which generated several protests from the students and parents.
According to him, the tuition at the time was not adequate for providing quality education to the students. The governor’s opponent condemned the move and used it to campaign against his administration.
The Acting Registrar of the institution, Opeoluwa Akinfemiwa, disclosed the reduction in tuition in a circular dated August 28, 2020.
The circular read in part: “I write on the directive of the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Olugbenga E. Ige, to inform all returning students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, that following an earlier appeal by students, and in view of the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on parents and students, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, has directed that the university should consider a reduction in school fees in a way that quality education can still be sustained.
“As a follow up to the above directive, a meeting was held by the governor with the university and the student leaders.
“Consequently, the visitor to the university approved the reduction of tuition fees with effect from the 2019/2020 academic session, as recommended by Council.
According to him, the returning students of the Faculty of Sciences will now pay N120,000 instead of N150,000 while Faculty of Social and Management Sciences returning students will pay N120,000 instead of N150,000.
He added that the returning students of the Faculty of Agriculture would pay N100,000 instead of N150,000.
“The returning students of the Faculty of Arts will pay N80,000 instead of N100,000.00, the returning students of the Faculty of Education will pay N80,000 instead of N100,000 and the returning Law students will still pay the old fee of N150,000,” the Registrar added.
