By Frank Ulom
The University of Calabar, UNICAL has bowed to the pressure from the students and made a U-turn by suspending the new fee increment which put the institution into a frenzy on Monday (4 Dec 2023).
CONVERSEER reports that the students demonstrated peacefully on Monday following the increment of school fees on Friday (1 Dec 2023) by the management of the university.
Addressing the students shortly after the peaceful protest, Prof. Eno Grace Nta, University of Calabar Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), advised the students not to pay their fees now.
She said, “The school fee portal is also being used for postgraduate students, we cannot shut it down.”
Adding that “We will advise the undergraduate students not to pay their fees now till when this is resolved, a memo will be released in this regard.”
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Later, the Registrar of the institution, Mr Gabriel Egbe via a statement signed by the institution’s spokesperson, Mr Effiong Eyo, disclosed that the institution has put a hold on the new fees.
According to the statement, “The Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar has directed that the payment of school charges by undergraduates of the institution be put on hold until further notice.”
It added that the “Directive is coming on the heels of a protest embarked upon by students of the institution over the recent adjustment in undergraduate school charges.”
The registrar said the Management of the institution is a listening administration and has accordingly assured the students as well as critical stakeholders that appropriate arrangements have been put in place through constructive engagements with the students to resolve the matter.
“Management however commended the students for the mature, reasonable, and civilised manner exhibited towards resolving the matter,” the statement said.
CONVERSEER also reports that the fee increment which takes effect from the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 academic sessions, ranged from over N100,000 to N155,000 with additional third-party dues between N21,500 to N38,500.
