FUTA Fee Hike Sparks Fury: Students Lock Down Campus, School Shuts Down!

Chaos erupted at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) as students erupted in protest against a proposed fee hike, effectively locking down the campus. This dramatic response was met with an equally unexpected countermeasure: the university’s indefinite closure.

Fueling the Fury:
• Sharp increase in fees: FUTA proposed a steep fee hike, with new students facing over N200,000 and returning students grappling with a N130,000 rise.
• Frustrated negotiations: Students’ union president Olayemi Oluwasoromidayo lamented failed attempts to negotiate and called for a return to previous rates.

Student Lockdown:
• Main gate blockade: Enraged students shut down the university’s main gate, halting all movement in and out.
• Protests for reversal: The resolute student body demanded the complete withdrawal of the proposed fee increase.

University’s Unexpected Move:
• Indefinite closure: In a drastic response, FUTA management indefinitely shut down the institution, postponing the 2023/2024 academic session indefinitely.
• Immediate eviction: All students residing on campus were ordered to vacate within 24 hours.

Management Justification:
• Rising costs: Citing inflated expenses for student-related services like electricity, water, and hostel maintenance, FUTA claimed the fee hike was unavoidable.
• Free tuition claim: Despite the significant increases, the university emphasized that tuition itself remains free, focusing the narrative on service costs.

Uncertain Future:
The situation remains tense, with students demanding resolution and the university’s future academic calendar hanging in the balance. One thing is clear: the battle over FUTA’s fee hike is far from over.

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