University of Calabar increases tuition fees by 100%

The management of the University of Calabar (Unical) has announced an increase in the university’s tuition fees for undergraduates by over 100%.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the announcement was made in a statement made available to newsmen in Calabar on Monday.

In the statement by the institution’s spokesman, Effiong Eyo, the school said the upward review of the fees was taken at an emergency meeting of the university’s Senate on Friday.

The release disclosed that the implementation of the upward review takes effect from the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 academic sessions.

NAN reports that with the increment, freshers, returning students and the final year students for the non-science courses are expected to pay N111,000, N91,500 and N114,000 respectively.

In addition, they are also to pay N36,500, N21,500 and N21,500 respectively as third-party dues.

Fees for science courses were increased to N155,000, N125,000 and N148,000 respectively for freshers, returning students and final year students.

They are also to pay N38,500, N21,500 and N21,500 respectively as third-party dues.

NAN reports that before the increment, tuition fees for an average student, depending on the department, was N64, 050 for freshers, N52,050 for final year and N49,500 for the returning students.

The management noted that the increment was necessitated by the current economic realities and the need to maintain the academic standard which the university was known for.

Students protest hike

Over 100 students protested the increment on Monday by barricading roads leading into the school, thus preventing workers from coming in.

The protest caused heavy traffic jam on the Mary Slessor and Etta Agbor Roads, compelling some motorists to make a U-turn.

“Increasing charges now is uncalled for because students and parents are still struggling to pay the last increment that was done some time ago by the same university management,” a student, Tony Erei, said.

Another student, Amarachi Obialor,  described the situation in the country as “sheer wickedness and insensitivity by our leaders”.

There was heavy presence of police personnel around the protesters to ensure that the protest did not result in a breakdown of law and order on campus.