In response to a recent tuition fee hike at the University of Ibadan, the Students’ Union and various student groups have launched crowdfunding campaigns to help struggling students meet the September 20 payment deadline and avoid dropping out.
As the September 20 deadline for school fee payments at the University of Ibadan (UI) draws near, several student groups are turning to crowdfunding in an effort to assist their members in paying the increased tuition fees.
The University of Ibadan Students’ Union (UISU), alongside the Faculties of Pharmacy and Nursing, as well as the Departments of Agronomy, Physiology, and Nutrition Science, have made public appeals for donations. These efforts aim to ensure that no student is forced to drop out due to financial challenges.
In a joint memo signed by UISU President Bolaji Aweda and Public Relations Officer Omotayo Olumide, the union appealed for 50 million naira to cover the tuition fees of 500 students within the four days leading up to the September 20, 2024 deadline.
A portion of the memo read:
“APPEAL FOR SUPPORT!!!
The recent hike in school fees at the University of Ibadan has left many students struggling to continue their education. For some, the dream of a better future now seems out of reach. But with your help, we can change that.
The Students’ Union is reaching out to the public for support to ensure that no student is forced to drop out due to financial hardship. Every contribution, no matter how small, can make a life-changing difference.”
In a related move, the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigeria Students (PANS), University of Ibadan chapter, also launched a campaign titled “Help UI Pharmacy Students to Stay in School.” This initiative seeks 14 million naira to cover the fees of 100 students in the faculty, citing the steep increase in tuition costs and the overall economic situation.
Similarly, students from the Nutrition Science, Education, Physiology, and Agronomy departments have also made public appeals for donations, aiming to prevent their peers from dropping out due to financial difficulties.
The urgency behind these campaigns stems from concerns that many students will be unable to complete their online registration, which could prevent them from sitting for their exams scheduled to begin on Monday, September 23.
UI’s administration had earlier given students a three-week break, starting on Saturday, August 31, following peaceful protests against the fee hike. The protests, led by the student body under the banner of “#FEESMUSTFALL,” opposed the governing council’s approval of increased tuition fees on August 29. Students argued that the fee hike, alongside the student loan policy, was a neoliberal move designed to push many students out of school.
Despite instructions to vacate the campus by 2 pm on August 31, some students refused to leave, claiming that the break was a tactic by the school management to weaken their protest. Two students who defied the management’s order were arrested by security operatives on Monday, September 2, and handed over to the Oyo State Police Command. They were later released on bail after committing to maintaining good behavior.
READ ALSO: UI Student Union Suspends Protest Over Fee Hike
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