By Godwin Otang
The Management of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), has suspended all payments of school charges following a peaceful protest by students of the institution on Monday morning in Calabar.
The students had gathered at the Malabor Square which houses the Students Union Government secretariat and moved to the female hostels bearing placards.
Some of the placards with various inscriptions read: “Florence Obia, UNICAL is not a private university, which one is ‘slight increment’, say no to billing”, “UNICAL VC, stop forcing girls into prostitution”, “this is a federal university, not a business center,” among others.
In a statement signed by the institution’s spokesperson Effiong Eyo, the management through the registrar, Mr. Gabriel Egbe, said the directive is coming on the heels of a protest embarked upon by students of the institution over the recent adjustment in undergraduate school charges.
“The Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar has directed that the payment of school charges by undergraduates of the institution be put on hold until further notice,” part of the statement read.
It disclosed that the “directive is coming on the heels of a protest embarked upon by students of the institution over the recent adjustment in undergraduate school charges.
The registrar said the Management of the institution is a listening administration and has accordingly assured the students as well as critical stakeholders that appropriate arrangements have been put in place through constructive engagements with the students to resolve the matter.
“Management however commended the students for the mature, reasonable, and civilized manner exhibited towards resolving the matter.”
It could be recalled that the UNICAL management on Friday, December 1, 2023 approved an upward school charge review to take effect from 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 academic sessions.
The charges as announced were as follows; for Non-Science students – N149,500. For freshers – N113,000 for returning students and N135,500 for final year students.
For Medicine and Surgery, Dentistry, Nursing, Medical Lab, Law, and Engineering fees: N193,500 for freshers, N147,000 for returning students, and N169,500 for final year students.
Others include science students: N157,000 for freshers, N120,500 for returning students, and N142,800 for final-year students.
The development has faced stiff resistance by students as well as generated public uproar.
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