UNILAG Marine Science students are protesting a mandatory N300,000 fee for a Ghana field trip, citing financial hardship and its impact on their continuous assessment scores.
Students of the Marine Science Department at the University of Lagos, Akoka, have voiced their frustration over a mandatory N300,000 fee for an upcoming field trip to Ghana scheduled for January 2025.
The trip, intended to provide practical learning experiences, has sparked significant backlash among 400 and 500-level students. Many have described the fee as unaffordable given the current economic difficulties in the country.
A student, speaking anonymously, revealed that the department has made the trip part of the students’ continuous assessment, with a payment deadline set for December 1, 2024. The student expressed concerns over the financial burden, noting that many students are under pressure to meet the requirement.
“The trip is meant to include stops at various locations to enhance our practical learning,” he said. “We’re supposed to study natural rocky shores in Ghana, which are different from the artificial ones in Nigeria. While it’s educational, raising N300,000 has been a major challenge for most of us, especially in light of other financial obligations this semester.”
Another student highlighted that the trip had been a departmental tradition from 2007 to 2020 but had been on hold for the past four years. “Students were excited about the prospect of resuming this trip, but the current fee is just too high. With increased school and hostel fees, many of us are already struggling financially,” he said.
A 400-level student added, “The N300,000 fee is impossible for me to afford. Many students have taken loans to pay their school fees, which were recently increased. Now, they’re asking us for more money. It’s overwhelming, and I can’t even consider the trip because it’s out of my reach.”
A final-year student echoed similar sentiments, lamenting that lecturers have indicated the trip would significantly impact continuous assessment scores. “With recent fee hikes for tuition and hostels, this additional cost feels unfair. Missing the trip could lead to failing the course, as our CAs are crucial to our grades. It’s frustrating to be put in this position.”
Last month, students from the university’s medical college also protested against increased hostel fees. The new charges require medical students at Idi-Araba campus to pay N100,000 annually for accommodation, affecting 300 to 600-level students from the 2024/2025 session.
Students continue to appeal for a reconsideration of the trip’s cost, emphasizing the financial strain it places on them amid other rising expenses.
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