Akwa Ibom varsity students protest 75% hike in school fees

Academic activities at the Akwa Ibom State University, Ikot Akpaden, in the Mpat Enin Local Government Area of the state were halted on Monday for some hours following a peaceful demonstration by students over hike in school fees.

A source said new students, who were indigenes of the state, were mandated to pay N90,000,  instead of the initial N53,000, while non-indigenes were to pay N120,000.

However, all returning students were to pay the same amount they paid last session: N53,000 for indigenes and N73,000 for non-indigenes.

Our correspondent learnt that the protesters, who blocked the main entrance of the institution at the Ikot Akpaden campus, however, did not harass or prevent students or lecturers from going into the school environment.

They displayed placards with various inscriptions, some of which read, ‘NANS demands immediate reversal of school fees,’ “#OccupyAKSU’, ‘Mother of all protest,’ among others.

“The country is going through serious economic hardship occasioned by COVID-19, and for the school authorities to come up with a hike in school fees at this time is very disappointing,” the source said.

He noted that the students would resist every attempt to increase school fees.

Efforts to speak with the institution’s Director of Information, Mr Akaniyene Ibanga, proved abortive, as he did not take his phone calls.