SOKOTO VARSITY COMPELS STUDENTS TO PAY SCHOOL FEES
By Ibrahim Adeyemi
The authorities of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto have obliged undergraduate students of the institution to either pay their school fees or face the consequences. The first semester of the 2017/2018 academic session is almost coming to an end, yet, more than half of the students have not paid their school fees for the previous 2016/2018 session and the current one.
While interacting with the union leaders, Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Abdullahi Abduzuru, raised alarm that, less than 50 percent of the students have paid their school fees for the previous academic session (2016/2017).
“Presently, the information we received from the MIS (Management Information Service) is that, less than 50 percent of students have paid their school fees,” he moaned.
The VC pitifully added that “We don’t want situation whereby we’ll not allow students to write exams or start sending them away because they’ve not registered.”
He annotated that, the university administration can only be run, when students pay their registration fees properly.
Students from Sokoto and Kebbi, whose state governments are responsible for paying the school fees of their student citizens respectfully pleaded the school to give them some grace for the payment of the fees.
Financial Secretary of the Students’ Union, Abubakar Aminu remarked that “It is better for the school authority to find permanent solution to the delay in the payment of school fees by students. Students from Sokoto, Kebbi states and other sates should pay their fees in time, so, the state government would refund it later.”
Deputy Speaker of the Students’ Representative Assembly, Nurudeen Aliyu, complained that it appears the school is too lenient, when it comes to payment of school fees, that is why many students are taking the payment of their fees for granted. He advised the authority to be strict in setting a deadline for the payment of school fees. Anybody who pays lately, he said, should be charged for late registration.
Our correspondents learnt that some of the students (500 level Medical Lab Students) have not paid because additional 5000 naira appeared on their generated invoices.
Muhammad Umar, the President of the Medical Lab Students Association said: ” In the list of our invoice, there is an additional 5000 which needs to be rectified. Some students are willing to pay but they are reluctant, waiting for the problem to be rectified.”
President of the Students’ Union, Idris Maibasira hailed the school management for being consedrate. He noted that, the delay in payment of school fees by the students is connected to the hard status of the Nigeria’s economy.
As contained in a memorandum signed by the Chairman of Examination Monitoring Committee, Prof Kamal Babikir, the school authority has ordered all undergraduate students to provide their evidence of payment for school fees. The students are requested to submit the RRR receipt of payment for both 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 respectfully. According to the memorandum, only students who provide their evidence of payments will have the exam card and will be permitted to write examination.