UNIPORT: Fee Hike can be defeated by United Struggle of Students and Workers
UNIPORT: Fee Hike can be defeated by United Struggle of Students and Workers
(By Onwunalu Alexander)
With the recent increment in school fees at the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), it is very clear that the Jonathan government has set out to undermine the gains of the last six-month strike action by Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) which won concession of additional funds for universities.
The school fee for fresh students has been increased from N49,000 to a regime of fees between N79,000 and N86,000 depending on departments. Indeed the fees could be as high as N137,050 as fresh students are also expected to pay in addition N30,000 for development levy, 15,000 acceptance fee and N20,450 – accommodation.
Unfortunately, the leadership of the Students’ Union in UNIPORT as well as NANS, both at Zone B (South-South and South East) with headquarters in UNIPORT and at the national level have maintained a graveyard silence against this attack on students.
What is urgently needed is for the rank-and-file of students to kick start the campaign against this fee increment, force the students’ union to act and equally solicit the support of all the staff unions in the university. A united mass struggle of students and workers is needed to defeat this attack. ASUU especially have to specifically openly condemn this fees increase as it is against the spirit and letters of its agreement with the federal government.
The Education Rights Campaign (ERC) in UNIPORT will be at the forefront of this mass mobilization against fees, which can also serve as an important step in building a vibrant tradition of mass and united struggle in the university.