Students of the School of Nursing, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) Nnewi, staged a protest on Tuesday against what they described as an “astronomical” increase in tuition fees, which reportedly rose from N90,000 to N580,000 per session.
The tuition hike followed an internal memo issued on January 23 by O. I. Ezejiofor, CMAC and Chairman of the NAUTH College of Nursing Board, citing the need to upgrade the institution’s facilities and maintain academic standards. Students carried placards at the school gate, also expressing concerns over the rising cost of accommodation in the area.
Speaking to THISDAY, Prof. Joseph Ugonna, Chief Medical Director of NAUTH, acknowledged the protest but emphasized that management intends to engage both the board and the student union leadership to address the issues.
“As for school fees, yes, there was an increment. The new board proposed N580,000 to us, which we approved, but there is still room to harmonize things,” Ugonna said.
“Our fees remain among the lowest in the South East. While the hike may seem significant to students paying N90,000, it is intended to improve the standard of the institution. Regarding accommodation, most hostels are privately owned, and arrangements are between students and landlords.”
Meanwhile, Mrs. Chinyere Onwuka, Public Relations Officer at NAUTH, clarified that the students’ union had dissociated itself from the protest, noting that the leadership had formally written to management distancing itself from the demonstration.
“We do not know who organized or led the protest. The tuition fee increase is moderate and includes feeding and transportation to clinical postings in Enugu,” Onwuka said.
“A comparison with other nursing schools in the South East shows that NAUTH’s fees remain relatively affordable. Some institutions charge as much as N800,000 for old students, exclusive of feeding.”
The management has assured that dialogues with students and the board will continue to resolve outstanding concerns, as efforts are made to maintain institutional standards without unduly burdening students.
ELIJAH ADEYEMI
No comments:
Post a Comment