Management of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) on Tuesday denied media reports that the institution had increased its tuition from N19, 700 to N55, 700.
According to reports, the university is among the 37 institutions that recently increased their school fees.
However, in a statement issued by the university’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olarewaju, the varsity’s management stressed that it has not increased its fees since 2014.
It was gathered that OAU students currently pay between N19,700 and N33,700, depending on their course of study.
The statement read in part: ”The attention of the authorities of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, has been drawn to a news item that ’38 Varsities increase tuition fees’, where OAU was listed among the universities that have increased their tuition fees.
Paucity of funds
”Although there may be paucity of funds from the Federal Government in running the institutions of higher learning, which might have prompted some universities to upwardly review their fees, but the situation in OAU is quite different.
”For the avoidance of doubt, there is no meeting, either of the university management or Senate, where the fee increment was announced; and the vice chancellor of the university, Prof. Tope Ogunbodede, has not contemplated on increasing any fee in OAU.
”In actual fact, his administration is poised to making the welfare of staff and students a topmost priority.”