UI Closed Due To Tuition Fee Increase Protest

Following the protest by University of Ibadan students in Oyo State on Friday against the tuition fee increase approved by the institution’s Governing Council, the management has instructed all students to leave the campus by 2 pm on Saturday.

It was reported on Friday that the students staged a peaceful protest against the tuition fee hike imposed by the institution’s management.

During the protest, students carried various placards with messages such as “No to Tuition Fee Hikes,” “The Management Is Ignoring Our Struggles,” and “Our Parents Cannot Afford the New Fees,” while they blocked roads leading to the campus.

Consequently, in a circular dated August 30, 2024, and obtained by our correspondent on Saturday, the institution’s registrar, G. O. Saliu, instructed the students to vacate the campus by 2 pm on Saturday (today), announcing that the school will be closed for three weeks.

According to Saliu, the closure followed the meeting of the university’s management with the leadership of the student union on Friday, August 30, 2024, where the Vice-Chancellor on behalf of the Senate approved that the institution be shut for three weeks.

He noted that the directive is effective Saturday, August 31, 2024, till September 20, 2024.

The circular read, “All students are to vacate the university campus by 2 pm on Saturday, August 31, 2024.

“The hostel will be reopened from noon on Friday, September 20, 024.

“Students are therefore, to note the following: The three weeks is to give students ample time to complete their online registration, the 2023/2024 first semester examination will now start on Monday, 23 September 2024, and the period for registration will be closed on Friday, September 2p, 2024.

“The above is for information and strict compliance please.”

Meanwhile, according to a statement on Saturday, by a media platform in the institution, Union of Campus Journalists, the students have resolved to reconvene and resume their peaceful protest until their demands are met.

The statement read, “After the University of Ibadan’s announcement of a three-week break, students are once again mobilizing to resume their protests, which have been ongoing for the past three days.

“The memorandum, released earlier today by the Office of the Registrar, has sparked renewed anger among the student body, leading to calls for immediate action.

“The management’s decision, which mandates that all students vacate campus by 2:00 PM on Saturday, August 31, 2024, has been met with widespread criticism. Students perceive the break as a ploy to weaken the momentum of their protests against the recent hike in tuition fees.

“In response, student are rallying their peers to gather once more, with the intent to continue their demonstrations until their demands are met.”