Bayelsa students deny increase in school fees

The National Union of Bayelsa State Students (NUBSS) Worldwide on Tuesday denied reported increase in the school fees of the first state-owned university, the Niger Delta University (NDU).

The student body warned against a plan by students, parents and civil society groups to stage a protest in the university.

The President of NUBSS, Mr. Ozu Important, who spoke in Yenagoa blamed the reported increase in school fees on mischief makers.

He said those peddling the falsehood were only on a mission to cause disaffection between the students and the management of the university.

While urging parents to dismiss the rumour, Important said that the current school fees were the same with the ones paid in the last academic session.

He said the student body met with the the management of the NDU and discovered that the school management had not announced any fee increment.

He said: “We have crossed-checked with the school authority and we can say it without any contradiction   that there is no increment in school fees at the NDU. It is a false alarm being raised by some expired political forces.

“The leadership of NUBSS is therefore calling on all students at the NDU not to be part of the protest. We heard that some mercenaries have been hired from outside the state to be part of the charade. This is the extent of their desperation”.

He called on the management of the NDU and striking unions in the university system to resolve all contending issues in the interest of students.

He commended Governor Seriake Dickson for his commitment to the development of education but    called on   Dickson to “inaugurate the student loan board to enable students to assess loans to augment their finances.”

He said: “Let us use this medium to appeal to the various unions and the management of NDU to quickly resolve their disagreement for the sake of the students. We want a better NDU that will be the pride for us all.

“While some schools in the South West such as the Ondo State University  increased school fees from N35000 to N2000,000 as a result of the refusal of the government to release subvention to the institution for the past seven months, the situation in Bayelsa should be commended and not condemned.

“The state government has ensured consistent release of N350 million every month to the NDU and has not failed”.

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