School fees hike: Protest rocks UNICAL, as students block major road in Calabar

Students of the University of Calabar( UNICAL) have taken to the street in protest against the hike of tuition fee by over 100 percent.

The Management of the University of Calabar (Unical) had over the weekend held a meeting when the decision to increase tuition fees was reached.

In the statement by the University’s PRO, Mr Effiong Eyo, the upward review of the tuition fees was taken at an emergency meeting of the University Senate on Friday.

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

Findings showed that with the increase fresher’s, returning students and the final year students for the non science courses are expected to pay N111,000, N91,500 and N114,000 respectively.

They are also required to pay N36,500, N21,500 and N21,500 respectively as third parties dues.

In thesame vein students for the science courses was increased to N155,000, N125,000 and N148,000 respectively for fresher’s, returning students and final year students.

In a likewise manner, they are also to pay N38,500, N21,500 and N21,500 respectively as third parties dues.

However, in the early hours of Monday, Student’s of the institution took placards with various inscription to protest the hike of tuition fees as well as other charges asking the management to rescind its decision.

Some of the inscriptions include, return to the old fees, bring back our old fees/ charges , We can’t afford the news fees, UNICAL SUG , wake up ” amongst others.

The student who matched round the school premises and took their protest to the Main gate of the school causing traffic gridlock along Etta-Agbor and Mary Slessor road in calabar Municipality LGA.

Findings showed that before the increment, tuition fees for an average student, depending on the department, was N64, 050 for fresher’s, N52,050 for final year and N49,500 for the returning students.

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