The management of Ekiti State College of Nursing Sciences, Ado-Ekiti has directed students to pay N250,000 each as accommodation fee for the current academic session.
SaharaReporters learned that the school is charging a total sum of N1 million to accommodate four students in a room.
Some of the affected students who spoke to SaharaReporters said the management imposed the new fee after the opening of a new hotel.
“At the old hostel, we are paying around N50,000 per student and the old hostel is even more spacious and appears to be more comfortable than this new one despite the exorbitant fee,” one of the students said.
A video obtained by SaharaReporters reveals that the new hotel lacks modern amenities, raising questions about the justification for its rates.
Name
7ddf3ac9-e44a-4f04-9d6e-a42a2486bebd.mp4
Authored on
Thu, 01/16/2025 – 07:56
Display in Video Section
Off
“The students are four in a room and each one is to pay N250,000, totalling N1 million to stay in a room that can barely accommodate two people,” the father of one of the students told SaharaReporters.
A statement issued by EKSUTH College of Nursing Science Ado-Ekiti Parents Body said the parents inspected the hostel and found that the rooms are too small to accommodate four students as planned by school management.
The parents’ body said: “Kitchen and Bathroom: These are inadequately sized, measuring just one asbestos sheet in size.
“Ventilation: There is no proper cross-ventilation due to the proposed overcrowding and size of the single window in the rooms.”
“Basic Amenities: Rooms lack fans and wardrobes are far too small to even accommodate two occupants,” the parents maintained.
They, therefore, demanded a reduction of the accommodation fee from N250,000 to N100,000 per student.
The statement continued, “Reduction in Room Occupancy: Each room should accommodate not more than two students due to its small size.
“Fair Pricing: It is untenable to charge one million naira (N1,000,000) per room that is (N250,000 x 4 students), especially when similar hostels built by the same developers at FUOYE charge less than N200,000 per room for two occupants.”
The alumni association of the school also raised similar concerns.
The union said accommodation fees happen to be the most expensive in Ekiti State for both private and government schools.
The group continued: “When we extend our net to gather more information, we also found out that it is the most expensive around the Southwest region.
“Substandard Facilities: Despite the high cost, the hostel lacks essential amenities such as proper ventilation, fans, and air-conditioning. The living conditions are grossly inadequate, making the fees unjustifiable. The room interior, the poorly designed and substandard bathroom and toilet.
“Economic Hardship: In light of the current economic challenges, it is inconsiderate and unrealistic to impose such exorbitant fees on students and their families.”
The former students also urged the school to “revert to the old hostel system” and “allow students to return to the old hostel facilities, where they paid an affordable annual fee of N50,000”.
“These hostels met students’ needs at a reasonable cost,” the body said.
It said, “Freedom of Accommodation Choice: Permit students to seek alternative housing options outside the school premises, in line with their financial capacity and preferences.
“Given the dimensions of the room, a maximum of two students should be accommodated to ensure comfort and adherence to space requirements.”
When reached for comment, the Dean of Students’ Affairs, Mrs. Adaramola, declined to discuss the concerns raised by students and parents over the phone with SaharaReporters.
She said: “I won’t make comments on the issue on the phone. It is not formal to me. Anybody can claim to be anything on the phone. Anybody can claim to be working with SaharaReporters.”
Follow the Sahara Reporters channel on WhatsApp:
