UNILAG increases accommodation, caution fees

> These are not the best of times for postgraduate students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG)

> The school authorities have increased the cost of bed space and caution fees on the students by 500%

> The students are agitated by the schools action

The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has increased the cost of bed space and caution fees of postgraduate students by 500%.

UNILAG increases accommodation, caution fees

According to The Punch, the students are now demanding a reversal of the hike and the refund of the backlog of caution fee.

They also want the school management to reinstate the Graduate Fellowship and the Teaching Assistant Programmes hitherto enjoyed by indigent postgraduate students.

A letter signed by the Dean, Students Affairs Division, Professor Ademola Adeleke, had announced an increase from N11,000 to N70,000 for bed spaces at the Henry Carr Hall and to N120,000 for Erastus Akingbola Hall.

Caution fee was also increased from N3,500 to N25,000, while students expected to resume for the new session at the newly-opened Sodeinde Postgraduate Wing are also expected to pay N120,00 for accommodation per session.

According to Adeleke, the increment takes effect from the 2016/2017 session.

“The cost per bed space is N70,000. This means that for Henry Carr, rooms with a single occupant will attract N70,000 X 2, which is N140,000. Caution fee is N25,000,’’ part of the letter read.

One of the students who spoke in the issue under the condition of anonymity said: “ For us here, we are now expected to pay N184,000 for a bed space and anyone who wants to pay for two-bed spaces is expected to pay N265,000.

''For Henry Carr, the cost of a room inclusive of bed space, caution and maintenance fees was initially N58,000 for a session for PhD students. That included bed space cost, caution fee and maintenance fee.

“But now, the amount has been jerked up to N165,000. That is over 600 per cent increase for an eight-by-eight cubicle. That is ridiculous compared to the N15,000 members of staff of the university pay for a three-bedroom flat with a boys quarters of two rooms.’’

When contacted on the phone, Adeleke declined to speak on the matter.

“You should get in touch with the Information Unit. They are the spokespersons for the university,’’ he simply said.

Meanwhile, UNILAG has expelled 125 students and suspended 73 students for acts related to academic misconduct and forgery of results.

It was gathered those suspended had penalties ranging from two to four semesters.

In a related development, four undergraduates of UNILAG were recently arrested on suspicion of their involvement in cultism.

They were arrested by policemen from the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID).