By Funso Alarape
December 23, 2023
Following the hard times in the country occasioned by government policies and the withdrawal of fuel subsidies, no fewer than 765 undergraduates of the University of Lagos, UNILAG, who experienced difficulties in paying their obligatory fees are being taken care of by the management of the institution and other public-spirited bodies and individuals.
The 765 indigent students are among the 32,721 undergraduates currently registered to pursue various courses at the university.
Disclosing this on Thursday during a press parley, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, said among the affected students, the Office of the Vice Chancellor paid the obligatory fees of 400.
“When we had to increase our obligatory fees earlier this year, we made the promise that no student would drop out because of their inability to pay. Looking at the number of undergraduate students that have been registered for the new academic session, which is about 32,721 and the number of students who declared their inability to pay was 765, one could see that those unable to pay are small in number.
“Out of the figure, the Office of the Vice Chancellor paid the bill of 400, and we have put 170 in our Work Study program. We have increased the earnings from that program from N200 to between N500 and N1,000 per hour. A participant works at least two hours a day.
“We also have some students who managed to pay the obligatory fees but have difficulties regarding feeding and maintaining themselves. They are about 40 in number and we give them free meals daily.
Apart from the university management, the alumni, ASUU, and UNILAG Women Society among others are helping in that aspect. Moreover, over 400 smart students from across all departments are enjoying scholarship awards from different sources,” she said.
Ogunsola, who described the outgoing year as very tough for the university system, added that the current funding model would kill universities if nothing is done.
“Education requires a lot of investment. And if we want our universities to produce graduates that can compete globally and be the appropriate manpower for the country, we have to rethink the funding of the system. We can have cheap education and our products won’t be competitive and appropriate. The current funding model is not working and we need to decide whether we want the universities to die or survive,” she opined.
On the welfare of university workers, the VC said Nigerian lecturers and university workers were among the poorest in West Africa, not to mention continental or global level.
“The last time any appreciable salary increment was granted to university workers was in 2009. Now, look at the current foreign exchange rate and compare it with other countries. That is why lecturers, especially the young ones are leaving in droves. The older ones too can go, they will have where to work abroad, but most are waiting and working here because of their patriotic zeal,” she added.
On the removal of universities from the Integrated Personnel Payroll and Information System, IPPIS, Ogunsola described it as a sort of relief for the universities.
“Autonomy goes beyond the IPPIS issue. However, it is the beginning of allowing the universities to breathe. The era of going to seek a waiver from the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation before you employ people is not normal for the university system. You know, we are not a civil service set up, and then from the HOS office, some circulars that do not concern the universities would be sent to the universities, and some people would come and begin to enforce them on us,” she stated.
On the completion of the abandoned library project, the VC said the management was liaising with the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, and that a review of the project was being done.