ERC OAU: N10,000 HOSTEL EXTENSION FEE IS EXPLOITATIVE!
WE DEMAND IMMEDIATE REVERSAL
STUDENTS MUST BE ALLOWED TO STAY ON CAMPUS!
The Education Rights Campaign (ERC), OAU Branch, strongly condemns the recent introduction of N10,000 hostel extension fees by the authorities of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. This exorbitant fee is meant to be paid by students who intend to spend the break in the halls of residence. Earlier, the school had issued a directive that all students must vacate the halls of residence on or before Sunday, September 7, 2025. This directive is inconsiderate to many students who are still engaging in academic activities, like the final year students who are yet to complete their projects, students who are participating in the compulsory teaching practice program, health sciences students, and some students who are pursuing extra-curricular academic activities and professional courses, among others.
Many had thought that the decision was to enable the school to carry out a renovation exercise in these halls that are already becoming an eyesore. However, the directive was only meant to pave the way for the exploitation of students. According to the release from the Vice Dean of the Students Affairs, students who were given accommodation in the just concluded session and have academic activities to engage in are entitled to seek an extension of stay, but this can only be done by paying N10,000. This is unacceptable!
We in the Education Rights Campaign (ERC) demand the immediate reversal of the hostel stay extension fees about to be imposed on students. Notably, the students who are approved for this payment are students who have already paid over N50,000 for a hostel bed space in the just concluded session. Moreover, many of the programs and activities students have yet to conclude are recognized by the school.
Considering the recent security challenges affecting students residing off-campus, the school ought to be providing measures to encourage students who are participating in academic activities to reside on campus for the duration of that break. Clearly, the university only has its eyes on money, not the safety of students. For us, there is no reason students should be made to pay for choosing to reside on campus; therefore, this policy must be reversed immediately.
We call on the leadership of the Students’ Union to act immediately and ensure students are not made into victims of the University management’s broad-day exploitation. Protection of the interests of students is a primary responsibility of the union. We also believe this is an opportunity to begin to engage the university authorities on important questions about the welfare and safety of students. It is sad that students, especially those residing off the campus, now live in fear due to the precarious security situation. These, and many more, are issues needing urgent intervention.
ERC-OAU
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The Education Rights Campaign (ERC) is a platform formed to campaign against attacks on public education. We campaign against bad welfare conditions, increase in fees, attacks on democratic rights of students etc. If you are interested in the struggle for a better public education and society, take the bold decision to join us today!