PGD students to pay N285,000, MSc N327,000, PhD N367,000
The Vice Chancellor of of Federal University of Technology (FUTO), Owerri Prof Nnenna Otti has increased fees for postgraduate students.
The increment of the PG fees by 200 per cent affects full-time and part-time programmes from the 2021/2022 academic session.
In reaction, postgraduate students of FUTO rejected the 200 per cent increment and demanded that the university management reversed the high fees.
In the new regime, postgraduate diploma fees are now N285,000, MSc goes for N327,000 and PhD students are to cough out N367,000.
The old fees were N71,500 for PGD, N106,500 for MSc and N106,500 for PhD students.
The affected students told newsmen that the portal for school fees payment was shut down at the beginning of the semester, “So we went to the PG school office to pay in cash and we were told of the new fees.”
Following the discovery, the PG Students’ Union officials and some students reached out to the Vice Chancellor, who held a meeting with them on Thursday, May 11, 2023.
A source told our correspondent: “We were only two people allowed by the VC to talk about the issue of school fees. We tried all we could to convince the VC. After everything, they could only give us 10 per cent reduction.
“It takes effect immediately, starting from 2021/2022 session to which I belong. In fact, the acceptance fee for 2022/2023 has increased, from 42,500 to 100,000. And the 10 per cent reduction the VC promised has not reflected on the university portal.
“So, a fees increment of over 200 per cent got only 10 per cent reduction. And even now, the 10 per cent reduction has not yet reflected on the portal.”
At the meeting, it was learnt the VC said that increment was due to inflation and that PG school fees were a source of revenue for the university, and the Federal Government asks for 25 per cent.
The source stated: “On Thursday, May 25, during the senate meeting, the VC still insisted that she’s not reducing the fees anymore that those who want to stay should, and those who don’t want can leave.
“As it stands now, most of the PG students have withdrawn after paying for acceptance fee, transcript fees, departmental levy, lecture materials, term papers and other logistics and a new exam date has been scheduled to start from June 5.
“Our first semester exam had been moved from April to May and then to June on account of the agitation caused by the fees increment considering that students must pay school fees before writing the exam.
“We have called friends in other universities, state and federal, yes, there was an increment but none is above N150,000.
“We students are distressed by this development and don’t know what else to do. They seem to be working with the VC on this issue. The new fees take effect immediately.
“It was all of a sudden. The increment was made just after we paid our acceptance fee and had even started lectures, just when the first exam timetable came out,” a concerned PG revealed.
When our correspondent reached out to the Dean, Postgraduate School of FUTO, Prof. Christopher Eze for his reaction. He said he was no longer the dean and sent the email address of the current dean, who did not respond to our questions.
Also, the Public Relations Officer of the university failed to respond to questions, sent to her WhatsApp line on the school fees increment.
Prof Nnenna Otti was the Abia State Governorship election returning officer that declared the Governor of Abia State Dr Alex Otti as the winer of the election.
Sun *Puo
