There was jubilation on the campus of the Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti following the reduction of the tuition fees by Governor Ayo Fayose.
The governor had announced the reduction of the tuition fees from N50,000 to N30,000 to give more indigent students access to education last Friday.
The administration of the former governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, had reduced the fees from N150,000 to N50,000 in 2010. But this latest reduction is seen as a step to ameliorate the hardship faced by parents in paying the fees.
Fayose gave the order while featuring on his maiden media chat, “Meet Your Governor”. He also ordered the authorities of the university to allow students who cannot pay the new N30,000 at once to pay in two installments.
He lamented the hardship parents face paying various fees charged in the university, including: departmental fees, faculty fees, field trip fees, library fees, among others.
Fayose however clarified that only full-time students would benefit from the reduction.
He also promised not to bow to pressure from certain quarters to remove the EKSU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Patrick Aina and the Provost of the College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti, Prof. Francisca Aladejana on account of being appointed by his predecessor.
Fayose said his wish to retain the duo was in tandem with his desire not to allow vendetta to motivate his action and the fact that the two officials have performed well in office.
The Nation gathered that as soon as the news filtered into the campus that the tuition had been reduced, many students celebrated and congratulated one another.
EKSU students resident in the host community of Iworoko-Ekiti, many of whom were monitoring the media chat on the radio, screamed with joy as the governor announced the reduction of their tuition fee.
On Monday, the reduction was the topic of discussion among students on campus.
An electrical engineering student, Segun Ibiyemi, described it as an “unexpected miracle” which will bring relief to them.
“This is an unexpected miracle. I did not listen to the radio when the governor gave the directive. My classmate informed me but I did not believe at first. I had to make one or two calls to confirm it. When I learnt that it is true, the news gladdened my heart. We want to appreciate the governor for reducing this burden on our parents and we pray that God will continue to bless him,” he said
Titilayo Olabode, a Biochemistry student expressed joy on the reduction of the tuition fee which she described as an “end-of-the year surprise package”.
She said she would have loved the order to take a retroactive effect such that the excess of the last fees paid would be returned to the students.
However, Olabode urged a thorough implementation of the directive to prevent the students from being shortchanged by some officials whom she said may want to circumvent the directive.
“I want to appeal to the governor to monitor the situation very well and ensure that his order is implemented to the letter. This is because when the immediate past governor reduced the fee from N150,000 to N50,000 when he came in, some faculties were dragging their feet in implementing the directive,” she said.
