The management of Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado Ekiti, has justified the recent hike in tuition fees for fresh students in the 2024/2025 academic session, attributing the increase to rising operational costs and the need to complement government subventions.
In a statement issued on November 24, 2024, and made available on Monday, the university’s Head of the Directorate of Information and Corporate Affairs, Bode Olofinmuagun, described the fee adjustment as marginal and necessary for sustaining quality education and facilities.
Breakdown of New Fees
According to the statement, tuition fees for fresh students vary based on their course of study and state of origin:
- For students of Ekiti State origin, fees range between ₦247,500 for the Faculty of Education and ₦982,500 for the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery.
- For non-indigenes, fees range between ₦307,000 (Education) and ₦1.13 million (Medicine and Surgery).
Olofinmuagun emphasized that the increase does not affect returning students, nor does it impact the acceptance fees paid by freshers.
Reasons for the Adjustment
The decision to increase fees, according to Olofinmuagun, was influenced by inflation and rising operational costs.
“Operational costs in the university have increased occasioned by the rise in prices of goods and services by about 200 per cent due to high inflation. Yet, the Governing Council of the university only adjusted the fees payable by freshers, by 50 per cent,” he said.
He highlighted the need to maintain quality facilities and ensure the university remains competitive globally.
“There is a dire need for the university to keep the system running in terms of the provision of quality as well as state-of-the-art facilities to ensure that the university is relevant in the comity of universities across the globe,” he added.
Subventions and Comparisons
Olofinmuagun acknowledged the Ekiti State Government’s efforts in reviewing upward its subvention to the institution but noted that additional funding was required to sustain the university’s operations.
He argued that EKSU’s fees remain affordable when compared to other state and federal universities, as well as private secondary schools in Nigeria.
“It is a verifiable fact that EKSU fees are very affordable compared with most state universities and many federal universities, not to talk of fees being charged per term by many private secondary schools across the country,” he said.
Call for Calm
The university appealed to stakeholders, particularly students, to remain calm and understand the rationale behind the fee adjustment.
Olofinmuagun assured that the decision was made with careful consideration of students’ welfare while balancing the financial sustainability of the institution.
The announcement has drawn mixed reactions from students and stakeholders, with some expressing concerns about the affordability of the new fees amid Nigeria’s economic challenges.
