By Adebowale Damilola and Songden Dorcas
As the University of Jos, Plateau State resume academic sessions for the next academic year, most students are lamenting the recent increment of school charges from the initial N45,000 to N105,000 for returning students and N160,000 for new students.
Our UniJos Echo Correspondent who went round to sample opinions from students gathered that a good number of their course mates are yet to resume due to the increment in fees while several others who have resumed are yet to pay, let alone commence their registration process due to the economic hardship being experienced in the country.
According to Dankat Jeremiah Longji, a 200-level student of Mass Communication, he said, it is a fact that the school fees increment came at a time when the economy is bad. The recent development raises concerns and has sparked discussions about the implications it holds for students and their families. I think the hike in school fees causes more hardship for students and their sponsors.
He added that this has made him to adjust his expenses since the cost of transportation has also skyrocketed. “I don’t think it was a right decision. I can’t say the school management is wrong for increasing the fees but it is outrageous. The school would have increased it fairly not so much. The fees are too much”, he lamented.
Similarly, Gladys Ogbeta, a 200-level student of same department described the increment as tough because a lot of people are struggling. “Many people see education as a priority and have to put in so much effort to see that they can meet up with all the school charges. I won’t say the development is good but God will see us through”, she added.
Also commenting on the school charges increment, a student of the department of Science and Technology who asked to be anonymous said, the school fee increment has affected her very badly especially in the aspect of transportation. “Sometimes I don’t go to school because of the high cost of transportation. I am always thinking of how I can save up for school fees and then feeding as well, you have to eat before thinking of going to school”, she said.
It would be recalled that the University of Jos management initially pegged the school charges at N160,00 for returning students and N213,000 for new students but had to do a downward review as well as adopt two installment payment method after consulting with the Student Union Government (SUG) body, concerned groups and other stakeholders.
