Fashola reverts LASU school fees back to N25,000, students celebrate

 

The Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, on Thursday bowed to pressure from academic union and students of Lagos State University, Ojo, by reversing the increase in school fees, which was followed by jubilations and merryment in the campus.

 The reversal comes after months of protests by students and lecturers of the university. The Lagos State Government had, earlier in 2011, increased the fees from N25, 000 to N198, 000 for humanities and education, while medical students were to pay N350, 000.

Lasu students protesting school fees hike

After the protests, the state government approved a reduction by 34 to 60 per cent. That reduction would have seen students pay between N76, 750 and N158, 250 depending on the faculty and year of study.

That reduction was still opposed by the students and the lecturers. Thursday’s announcement by the governor could, however, lead to a reversal to the 2011 charges.


Chairman of the LASU branch of the Academic Union of Nigerian University, ASUU, Idris Adekunle, described the reversal of the fee as a “welcome development” adding that he is gladdened by it.

Lasu students stormed the government house protesting

Mr Adekunle said though the havoc caused by the increase in school fee would linger for a while, its reversal is a victory for the downtrodden in Lagos who would now be able to afford tertiary education for their children.

“Many of the students who would have taken LASU have taken other universities. Many who were inside had gone to take another JAMB form and move to other universities. There is no doubt about that.

“However we believe even if we don’t get the benefit right now the next few years we would begin to see the benefit. The citizen of Lagos state would be able to afford tertiary education. That is the most important thing,” he said.

Mr Adekunle also thanked the student union for joining the struggle initiated by academic staff and for remaining resolute to the struggle despite attempts by the school authorities to break their ranks.

Lasu students celebrating the reversal back to N25,000 on thursday

“ASUU-LASU started the struggle for the reduction of school fees but the great Lasuites came on stream with the struggle and they added a quality novel dimension to students’ struggle by the way they have prosecuted this struggle. The university administration used several means to break the student struggle including the manipulation of the student representative council to impeach the leadership of the present union. The lesson is that everyone must now see that nothing good comes easy. You have to struggle for the interest of the people that are coming behind.”

Mr. Fashola increased LASU fee from N25,000 to N197,000 for Arts and Humanities students, and N350,000 for medical students in 2011.

Following several protest from students and civil society groups, Mr. Fashola on June 11, announced a 34 per cent to 60 per cent reduction on the fee, respectively.

The university on June 19, announced the fees to be N76,750 for Arts and N158,250 for Engineering and College of Medicine students.

The Student Union Government, however, demanded for further reduction, claiming that the fee was still high and demanded N46,500 for returning students and N56,500 for new students across board.

LASU tuition fee was increased in 2005 from N250 to N25,000 under former governor, Bola Tinubu’s regime.\