The Parliamentary Assembly of the Student Union Government (SUG) of Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka has expressed its displeasure over the proposed tuition fee increment for the 2023/2024 academic session.
The Assembly on Monday, strongly voiced its support for the Executive arm of the Student Union Government, which opposed the unjustifiable hike in tuition fee, saying its “outrageous” and “arbitrary,” a move that has garnered criticism from both students and university officials alike.
The Senate President of the Students Assembly, Comrade Augustine Chineke, explained that the parliament found it perplexing, questionable, and unacceptable for a government-owned institution to entertain any form of fee increment.
“Therefore, the parliament has unequivocally declared a resounding ‘NO’ to what they deem a gross insensitivity by the university management and has pledged unwavering support to the Student Union’s resolution to revert all fees to the previous rates.
“Though negotiations with management have begun, it is evident that they are hesitant to take steps towards reverting the fees to their previous rates, as they oppose our interests.
“Nevertheless, we want to assure DELSU students that we will persist in our commitment to safeguarding their welfare and supporting the Union’s position on returning the school fees to their previous levels,” he asserted.
Comrade Chineke called on the government to intervene on behalf of the students to maintain the status quo regarding school fees.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Dean of Students, Faculty of Social Sciences at the institution Dr. Patrick Ijeh, claimed that there was no such proposal for a school fee hike in the institution.
The Deputy Dean further explained that this decision was in line with the directive issued by Governor Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, which stated that no institution in Delta State should increase their fees in light of the ongoing economic crisis in the country, adding that the Governor instructed institutions to refund the acceptance fees paid by students.
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