Medical Students at the University of Ibadan took to the streets at the beginning of the month to protest against over 100 percent increase in accommodation and other fees by the management of the institution. Following their protest, the students were evicted from their residential hall by an un-dated, allegedly ‘unofficial’ letter supposedly sent from the school management. This came days after medical students at the University of Benin were evicted from their residential halls one month to their professional exams.
The University of Ibadan management had introduced the increase of the fees on its website on April 4, 2018. The management had raised accommodation fees from N14, 000 to N30, 000 for residential halls within the UniIbadan main campus, and N40, 000 for residents of the Medial hall, Alexander Brown Hall, located within the premises of University Teaching Hospital (UCH).
Apart from the hike in accommodation fee, the school also introduced “Health Professional Training Levy” which would cost the students over N75,000 each. The medical students have refused to attend their ward rounds, classes or examinations to protest the increase in fee.
They vowed to continue to boycott all activities until the hike is reversed.
According to some of the students, the increment is a direct attack on all students in the University “especially the poor who cannot afford it”.
Explaining the need for the increase, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Idowu Olayinka, had told journalists that the increment became necessary following the lack of funding from the government. He said:
“In adjusting the fees, members of the public are to note that it is only the increase in accommodation fees that cut across students who desire to stay in the halls of residence. It should also be noted that residency in the halls of residence is optional, and indeed, only about 30% of our students can find accommodation in the halls of residence.
“It is also important to note that the Federal Government, many years back, had stopped providing funds for the running of the halls. As a result, the university spends about N100 million over what is collected as accommodation fees, for the running of the halls. The university is no longer in a position to continue to provide this subsidy.”
The students also alleged that irrespective of the fact that the authorities are referring to the lack of funding from the government as the reason for the hike, the authorities have refused to be transparent with information on how much it cost to run the University or consider the effects the increment would have on their studies.
In a similar situation, Medical students at the University of Benin were evicted from their residential halls (i.e. residences regarded as medical hostels) about 30 days before their professional exams. This action was protested by the students who called out the administration of the University for oppression and undue subjection of students to hardship.
Order to evict the students from their hostels
Following the protests, the University authorities on Saturday issued a notice, directing all the medical students to vacate the Alexander Brown Hall.
In the letter signed by the University’s registrar, Olujinmi Olukoya, the Academic Board of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, ordered an immediate closure of the hall. The letter reads in part:
“At its meeting of Friday, 06 April 2018, the Academic Board of College of Medicine, University of Ibadan considered the situation report with respect to students’ agitation regarding an upward review of the professional Training/Accommodation Fee as approved by the Senate.
“In view of the security threat that the student action may pose, the Board, therefore, recommended an immediate closure of the Alexander Brown Hall until further notice with a review of the situation in two weeks.
“Consequently, the vice-chancellor, on behalf of the Senate has approved the recommendation of the Academic Board of the College. Students resident in the Alexander Brown Hall are therefore directed to vacate the hall in or before 12noon of Saturday 7 April 2018”
Reacting to the letter, the student noted that the letter was not signed by the new registrar of the institution, Mrs Olubunmi Faluyi, neither was it published on the school’s letterhead.
The students also noted that the letter bore no date.
In a letter signed by the President of the Medical Students Association of the school, Olakorede Jacob, and the general secretary, Yahya Bashir, the school’s letter was regarded as suspicious since it was not signed by the new registrar and wasn’t published on the school’s letterhead, neither was it dated.
When contacted, the Director of Public Communication, Mr. Olatunji Oladejo, confirmed that the students had been ordered by a letter from the registrar to vacate the hostel pending review of the situation.
While addressing the issue raised by the students on the signing of the letter, Oladejo said that the new registrar, Mrs Faluyi, would assume office on Monday, April 9.
Budgetary allocations for Education
In the Budgetary proposal submitted to the National Assembly in 2017 by President Buhari, only 7.04% of the 8.6 trillion was allocated to the educational sector. The total sum allocated to the sector is N605.8 billion, with N435.1 billion for recurrent expenditure, N61.73 billion for capital expenditure and N109.06 billion for the Universal Basic Education Commission.
Meanwhile, the United Nations’ recommended benchmark for allocations to the educational sector is 26% of the national budget.
In 2013, 8.7% of the national budget was allocated to the educational sector, a move which was largely lauded as a right step toward achieving the UN’s benchmark.
In 2007, the national budget by President Olusegun Obasanjo provided N30.5 billion for the Universal Basic Education Commission for the provision of grants to States and Local Governments to help support basic education. The money was to be applied to the upgrading of facilities and to train and re-train primary school teachers and fund Home-Grown School Feeding Programme for primary school pupils.
Stakeholders have continuously criticised the little attention that is given to tertiary education by the Federal Government, with renewed calls for upgrade of facilities in Federal Government owned institutions and subsidisation of fees to enable people from impoverished and middle-class families get quality tertiary education.
