University Fees Crisis: Gov Ifeanyi Okowa’s Intervention Restores Peace in DELSU
- The recent crisis in the Delta State University, Abraka has been resolved by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa
- The crisis was triggered by the increment in the school fees of the students in the state-owned university
- Governor Okowa has clarified that the incrment do not affect students of Delta origin as they will still pay the approved tution
Asaba - Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Friday, April 1 said he had intervened in the school fees controversy at Delta State University, Abraka, with directive to the management of the university to liase with students' union to bring down the fees to acceptable levels.
Okowa disclosed this after inspection of ongoing works at the University of Delta, Agbor, and the Trauma Centre, Agbor.
Source: Facebook
He 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.
He said that students of Delta origin did not pay for tuition but only for other development levies and called on the people to show understanding with government as fees could not remain the same over the years.
PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigeria’s #1 news app
He said that fees being collected by the state-owned tertiary institutions were for some critical aspects concerning standards in the schools.
His words:
"From the beginning we made it clear that it is in the best interest of the state that we upgrade some of our institutions and that we have done to ensure that our children have access to higher education.
"We are at very tough times in our nation now, but our students who couldn't get admissions here have had to get admissions into private universities where they pay over a million naira.
"Some have even left the shores of Nigeria to other countries whose standard of education are not up to what we have here and some to other West African countries into mushroom universities where they pay a lot more.
"We are very mindful of this but also why we want to appreciate the economic situation in our nation and we know that parents and students are struggling through but we also want to be sure that the universities are maintaining a minimum standard.
"It is very important to maintain standard so that you don't find yourself going through an educational institution and at the end you are not actually given the right academic capacity to be able to function outside the institution."
According to him, the state government pays the salaries and allowances of lecturers and other university staff, but the universities should be able to handle their day-to-day running cost.
More universities in Delta state necessary, says Governor Ifeanyi Okowa
In a related developmenbt, Governor Okowa has insisted that the establishment of three new universities in Delta state was very important.
The governor was reacting to the recent criticisms by the Academic Staff Union of Universities concerning the tertiary institutions.
Governor Okowa said the institutions were set up to ensure that no qualified student from the state was denied admission into the university.
Delta entrepreneurship programmes vehicle for poverty mitigation, says Okowa
Meanwhile, Governor Okowa has said that the entrepreneurship development initiative of his administration in vocational skills was a deliberate effort to mitigate poverty, stamp out youth restiveness and meaningfully engage the unemployed youths in the state in productive ventures.
Okowa made this known on Thursday, September 30, 2021, while inaugurating the second cycle of the Girls Entrepreneurship and Skills Training programme at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Issele-Uku, Aniocha North local government area of the state.
He said that his administration had always believed that the solution to the current unemployment quagmire in the state was through entrepreneurship development, which would also help in curbing youth restiveness.
Source: Legit.ng
