Doctoral students in the Department of Peace, Security and Humanitarian Studies, under the Faculty of Multidisciplinary Studies, University of Ibadan (UI), have decried the total of N350,000 the Postgraduate College smuggled into their school fees.
According to investigation, with effect from 2021, the Department introduced fresh levies: Field Trip (IPSS) -N150,000 and Instructional, Conferences and Infrastructure Charge (IPSS) -N250,000, thereby increasing the fees for the new students from N175,400 to N575,400.
The returning students, who felt that they will not be affected by the new charges have been informed that they are not excluded from the N250,000 meant for Instructional, Conferences and Infrastructure Charge (IPSS). The old students are, however, excluded from field trip of N150,000, our medium learnt.
It was gathered that the Department has informed the old students to pay the new charge of N250,000, saying that they will not be scheduled for seminars without a proof of payment.
One of the new students who had a chat with our medium said, “This is very funny. In this hard times, a public school, federal university can charge its students this much, it is unbelievable. In Nigeria, we are actually the enemies of ourselves”.
The student said, “I had generated invoice and these new charges were not included. It was after I have paid the school fees that PG College adjusted the school fees on the portal and we have been asked to go and pay the balance. The problem is that I do not know where I can get the balance because things are so difficult. I am helping myself. I do not have anybody to help me. I have family to take care of”.
An old students also explained, “I had paid the normal school fees before the fees was hiked. I did not know that I would be affected until we old students were informed that we have to pay additional fees. The school told us that the new charge of N250,000 will be paid once after, we will be paying the normal fees of N156,900”.
When asked what the new charges are meant for, the student said, “I learnt that the N150,000 field trip charge is will be used to take us maybe to a nearby African country like Republic of Benin or Ghana or anywhere. The N250, 0000 will be used to teach us Research Methodology. It is a conference money. The question is that if they feel that we are entitled to a treat, can they not do that at Otunba Subomi Conference Centre , at a cheaper cost. The point is that the system is wicked to the students in series of ways. This is my conclusion”.
When asked if the students have complained to the management, the students said, “How do you think that it will be easy to report a wicked person to a wicked system? Can we be asked to pay such amount if the Senate did not approve it? How will it be logical to complain to the management that approved such wicked fees. The point is that they do not want the poor to go to school in Nigeria”.
As at the time of filing this report, it was gathered that some students have protested to Postgraduate College, asking the administration to intervene and revert to the previous school fees. It was equally gathered that the PG College told them that the matter is a departmental one, therefore, it can only be resolved at the department level.
PrimeStarNews has discovered that some students are proposing to withdraw from the course, why some are considering another course in other departments where the fees are not exorbitant.
Also in the same faculty, fees for the Department of Mineral, Petroleum, Energy Economics and Law is N395,400.
However, there are other courses that are equally expensive in the nation’s Premier University. The courses are:
Business Entrepreneurship and Executive Education domicile in School of Business: N490400, Community Medicine, domicile in the Department of Public Health: N345,800, while Law and Sustainable Studies is N215,400.
Fees for other PhD programmes are between N140,400 to N190,400.
