VOX POP: THE INCREMENT IN SCHOOL FEES AND TRANSPORTATION COST. 

Grace Adepoju 

A new session is upon us and happy resumption greetings can be heard everywhere. No doubt,  resumption into the 2023/2022 session comes with its own problems and hurdles. From the hike in school fees to the cost of transportation, it is clear to see that students are in for quite a session. 

From the rumors of the increase in school fees, to the actualization of these rumors, students have had varying emotions and opinions on the matter, and residents of Obafemi Awolowo Hall are no different.

Kemi Davids, 200-level student of Statistics. 

I really have nothing to say about the proposed school fees I saw because I don’t want to believe that. I’ll just wait till there’s an official release from the school so that I don’t give myself a headache. I hope it favors everyone though. As for the transport fare increase, I thought the increase of last session was going to be the end but I was wrong. Before, when I go to the market and I forget to buy anything, I could easily go to the school gate to get them because the gate was fifty naira. Now if I forget to buy anything, that’s the end, I’ll wait till the next time I’m going to the market or have anything to do at UI gate before I can get it again. There’s even nothing like I want to buy emergency stuff from the gate. Everything now requires planning and it’s so sad. I don’t even want to talk about how I go to school. I’ve cut my coat according to my size so I’ll just be walking to class. I can’t afford to leave my hostel late for class. God will help all of us sha. 

Agina Uche Anna, 100- level  student of LARIS. 

As for the hike in transport cost, it’s affecting me drastically. I can’t eat three square meals a day in this hostel. This hike in transport fare is not only affecting me, this same situation goes to my roommates and friends. I usually trek most times or sometimes I use my feeding money to get a tricycle back to the hostel or any place I’m going to within the campus. At one point, I felt so bad. As for the initial school fees I saw, I was depressed, because I knew my Parents can’t afford such an amount of money. We are an average family let me not say poor. That’s the main reason I chose UI because the school fee is the cheapest in Nigeria. I waited for two years before getting admission! will love it if the Dean and VC keep to their words by saying the school fee still remains the same amount Fresher’s have been paying before. 

Mercy Oyinloye, 300l Psychology. 

Concerning the transport fare, I think it is still fair due to the price of fuel now and for the proposed school fees, I really do hope it would be reduced because it is a bit high to me. Increase in the transport fare has made me limit how much I move around inside school because some places where I could easily go to by paying 100 are now 150 or 200 so I do try to run errands or do anything I want to do in school all in one day. For the proposed school fees, it would likely affect my monthly allowance because if I have to pay that amount for school fees then close to 50k for accommodation and I also have other expenses so it will affect me a great deal. 

Grace Ohagwu, 300-level student of Pharmacy. 

The increase in transport fare was not very surprising to me since the fuel subsidy was removed. I would have preferred it not to be increased immediately though. The hike in the cost of other things is already enough to deal with. For the proposed school fees hike, I thought the fees were fair. The only increase we saw was an increase in the accommodation fee and the introduction of utility fees. It is good that the school management was not able to increase the fees drastically. With the transport fee hike, I walk back home from class more often as a way to spare the exorbitant charges. I don’t have to abandon anything for the other.

Yanmipe Olagunju, 400-level student of Classics.

I really don’t know how to express how I feel about it. I can’t fully fault the increase in transport fare because of fuel price but at the same time, the initial increase should have been left that way. We were still trying to adjust to the #100 fare from Awo then it became #150 in a blink of an eye. I just hope it will remain like that o because another increase won’t be easy on students. For the school fees, let me just say God will provide because hmmmmm……. 

Victoria Adesina, 400-level of Nursing. 

I actually have mixed feelings about this whole increase. It’s good on one hand because we’ll stop depending on the  federal government and strike will reduce. Then also I believe God will provide, Amen. As for the transport, I don’t take keke or cab within school on impulse again. It’s just when I have morning classes that I take a cab. I walk back to the hostel afterwards. Another thing that has helped me is that I prioritize what I want to do. I don’t do pass myself.