From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
The hope of students of Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka having the school fees reduced has been dashed as the management of the institution on Sunday said the controversial issue has long be settled.
Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Andy Egwunyenga told Daily Sun on phone that the issue of school fees had long been done with.
Following the uproar that greeted the increase in school fees at the beginning of the new academic session, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa had last week directed the management of the institution to liaise with the Student Union Government (SUG) with a view to reducing the fees to acceptable level.
Okowa had explained that the state government didn’t fix school fees for its institutions, but had to intervene in the crisis because of the current hardship prevailing in the country.
But contacted to ascertain the level of compliance with the governor’s directive, Prof. Egwunyenga said the governor was being misrepresented.
The Vice Chancellor said he was not interested in talking about the schools fees, adding that institution was preparing for semester examinations which begins next week.
“I don’t want to talk about that (school fees), that chapter is closed now,” he said.
Asked about the negotiation with SUG, Egwunyenga said “I don’t know about negotiation, that matter is closed long ago, we are no longer talking about school fees.
“People have paid their fees, and we are preparing for exams. I don’t want to talk about all that because people don’t understand what the governor said, he is being misrepresented.
“And I don’t want to join issues with those who are deliberately distorting information.
“All I want to say is that issue of school fees has been dusted long ago, we are starting exams in one week.”
Meanwhile, the SUG president Comrade Cyprian Odifili has expressed regrets over the state government’s indifference to the students quest for reduction in school fees.
Odifili, who also disclosed that the SUG has not being contacted for any meeting, said it was an indication that the governor’s was merely political.
“The government of Delta State should be true to what they said on paper. If they are being sincere in supporting our quest for reduction in the school fees, then they should make it effective, not through media or paper statement.
“We met with the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Sheriff Oborevwori and the chairman, House Committee on Education, Charles Emetulu, with a view to achieving a reduction in the school fees knowing full well that the whole increment came from the state government,” he said.