Fred Ezeh, Abuja
African Students Education Support Initiative (ASESI), has asked Ebonyi state government to avert possible academic crisis in Ebonyi State University (EBSU) by prevailing the school management to revert to old school fees which was recently increased to avoid unfriendly actions from students.
ASESI observed that, for the past two weeks, there has been grave disquiet in EBSU following an increment in the tuition fees of the University. While Students insist that the economic reality in the country has rendered their parents and guardians incapable of paying the new fee, the school management insists that the newly announced fee regime is irreversible.
ASESI accused EBSU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Chigozie Ogbu, of rejecting attempts at a reasonable engagement with students.
Its Executive Director, Chinonso Obasi, in a statement released in Abuja, on Sunday, urged Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi, to intervene and avert pending academic crisis in the University.
He said: “Truth is that EBSU management and Ebonyi State Government which it claimed ordered the increment, may have their way but at least, three other negative scenarios are equally possible. An avoidable crisis in which Ebonyi State itself would be the loser.
“EBSU students, a majority of whom have always supported Umahi’s government, are very likely to lose faith in the government, and government’s long partnership with students community would develop fatal cracks.”
Obasi, who is the immediate past President, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), asked the state government to engage with representatives of students’ union in order to have a peaceful solution to the problem.
“The state government and EBSU loses nothing by engaging with the students, citizens and partners. Even if the new tuition fee would remain, it has to follow an exhaustive engagement in which all contending issues and variables are adequately considered and fathomed into the issues.”
He advised the Governor to avoid political merchants who, most often, mislead Government into crisis for self gain. “They are the ones who would work against peaceful engagement.”
Obasi, however disclosed that a team from ASESI led by its executive director, would soon be in Ebonyi State to meet with relevant stakeholders and the state government with the hope of a speedy peaceful resolution of the matter.