Good news: Fashola bows to pressure, reduces LASU fees

After weeks of protest by aggrieved students, Governor Babatunde Fashola has finally reduced the recently hiked fees of the Lagos State University (LASU).

The governor approved a 60% reduction yesterday after series of demonstrations by the students, who even went as far as camping in the governor’s office.

The lecturers of the school also supported the cause as they embarked on a strike in protest.

Daily Independent reports:

The Governor expressed optimism that the resolution of the issue of fees will prompt the staff unions of the school to see reasons to call off their strike to enable normal academic activities commence.

But President of the LASU Student Union Government (SUG), Nurudeen Yusuf, was not impressed, describing the reduction of the fees as “unacceptable and a huge joke”.

Yusuf told Daily Independent in a telephone interview that the students were disappointed with the reduction as it was obscure and did not state specifically what each student would pay.

Nevertheless, reading a 17-point resolution of the ad-hoc committee as approved by the State Executive Council headed by the Governor, Special Adviser on Education, Fatai Olukoga, said government has agreed to a reduction of the fee regime ranging from 34 to 60 per cent across the different faculties and courses.

Olukoga disclosed the government’s decision to State House Correspondents in Alausa, Ikeja.

Together with him were Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Lateef Ibirogba, Special Adviser on Information, Lateef Raji and Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Hakeem Bello.

The reduction of the fees is coming after series of protests by the undergraduates and lecturers as well as lingering crises that had rocked the institution in recent times, largely induced by the 300 per cent hike in tuition fees in 2011.

The state government in a bid to resolve the crisis set up an ad-hoc committee to look into the agitations of the students who had submitted their proposal for a new fee regime.

Olukoga said government considered the reduction of the fees for two main reasons, noting that on the one hand, “some of the fee components have been applied to students across all levels when in fact they can be justifiably limited to students at a particular level only”.

On the other, “Some of the charges included can still be reduced on compassionate grounds”.

The Governor’s aide added that the reduction was done in accordance with the law setting up LASU, adding that its position has been submitted to the University Governing Council for consideration and implementation.

He added that the governing council will be saddled with the responsibility of issuing details “of what is now payable by students in each department and deal with all other management matters of the university”.

Olukoga, however, assured that the reduction of the fees will not affect government’s commitment to enhanced scholarship and bursary provisions, stressing that the Research Fund sponsored by government will also be maintained to foster a culture of research and innovation in the university.

On the issue of promotion, the government declined the demand raised by the striking lecturers for appointments and promotions to positions already filled.

“Employees cannot unilaterally insist on being appointed or promoted to positions that are not vacant, especially where there are over 200 vacant positions yet to be filled in the same institution.

“In conclusion it is hoped that all students and workers of the university will immediately resume their respective activities and join with the state government in its bid to bring LASU to a preeminent position,” Olukoga said.

On the fate of students arrested and currently facing prosecution for protesting and disrupting public peace, Commissioner for Information, Lateef Ibirogba, said the state government was not responsible for their arrest nor did it drag the students to court.

Ibirogba, however, said government notwithstanding will through the Ministry of Justice, liaise with the court to see if they could give the embattled students soft landing.

Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Lateef Raji, said government’s decision to welcome the students’ submission goes a long way to reiterate that it is not an inflexible government nor is it resistant to change where such is justifiable.

The LASU SUG president, however, told Daily Independent: “When the fee was hiked, it was not by percentage, it was specific, now that they claim they are reducing it, they are talking percentage. This is unacceptable and a huge joke”.

Yusuf said the students would meet to take a position on the development, vowing that they would not accept anything that was at variance with their common interest.

The LASU tuition crisis snowballed when the government in 2011 hiked the fees from N25,000 to between N195,000 and N350,000.