Shocking :-The Untold Story about Student Welfare in Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko
The Untold Story about Student Welfare in Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria.
Since the protest of Monday, 22nd November, 2021, by the students of Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba-Akoko, a number of questions have been raised on what could be the cause of the crisis and why the University Management has not treated the students with fairness. As these various comments were making rounds among other rumours on poor student welfare, I thought it is necessary to provide adequate information on the various efforts being made by the University Management at ensuring that no student drops out of school.
May be this will help us appreciate the magnanimity of the University Management or otherwise is left for posterity:
First, are you aware that the parents who are being owed salaries wrote a letter to the Vice Chancellor for their children’s school fees to be deducted from their salaries? By the University’s Management approval, this deduction from staff salaries would take a period of 10 months to pay up. For me, this is the best bargain on paying school fees with ease. For instance, if you are to pay 80k as tuition fee, as parents, you end up paying #8,000 monthly for 10 months.
Second, all the physically challenged students in the University are required to pay only 50% of the amount payable as school fees while the University pays the remaining 50% through the Student Support Programme.
Third, thousands of students are employed on the University Work-Study Scheme. Students under this scheme work 2hrs a day, 10hrs a week and collect N10,000 per month and N120,000 per annum. I know so many students who have used this Work Study Scheme fund to pay their school fees throughout their 4/5 years programme in the University.
Fourth, payment of school fees by instalment has also been considered as a form of payment option for returning students. By this, they are allowed to make half payment in the first semester and complete their payment by the 2nd Semester.
Fifth, These initiatives are just few aside scholarship opportunities being sourced from time to time for brilliant indigent Students and other relief measures driven through the Student Affairs Division of the University to make life better for students on campus.
Recently, during an inspection visit by a team of the National University Commission (NUC), the high ranking regulatory body for Universities in Nigeria, the body commended these various welfare initiatives put in place by the University Management.
What could be more consoling than these? Not many Nigerian Universities have such robust welfare programmes for students.
God bless AAUA!
Yinka Fadayomi AmanGodhashelped
