Hundreds of Rivers State University, Port Harcourt students protested the school’s new “no fees, no examination” policy on Tuesday by taking to the city’s streets.
On Monday, October 24, the University’s Second Semester Examinations marked the start of the policy’s implementation.
As a result, students who were in debt, particularly those who were in their final year, were unable to take their exams.
Students who are affected may also lose an extra year in addition to missing their final exams.
Early this year, the university’s tuition prices were raised from their previous level.
In order to allow them to take their examinations, the protesting students demanded that the government lower the fees and end the “no school fees, no tests policy.”
The protesting students held signs that read, “No Fees No Examinatiom is wicked and Evil”,”Times are hard for our parents'”,”Allow Us Pay Instalmentally”,”Shift the Examination for our sakes”,”Access to Education is right,” and “Denying us is double punishment ‘Cos we’ll made to repeat, pay twice,” among other statements, denouncing the policy as wicked and inhumane.
According to the institution’s memo, 8,000 students at Rivers State University (RSU) ran the risk of failing their classes or having to repeat a year of school because they had not paid their tuition and registration fees.
The students had been given a week’s grace period from October 17 to October 24, 2022, to pay up their debts, after which they would not be permitted to sit for their second semester exams.
After the Committee of Deans and Provosts of Schools met on October 14, 2022, the management of the school came to this resolution.
Students at Rivers State University protest the institution’s “no fees, no examination” policy, which keeps them from taking any current tests.
Students at Rivers State University protest the institution’s “no fees, no examination” policy, which keeps them from taking any current tests.
In a statement confirming the news, the school’s registrar, Dr. Sydney Eyindah, noted that the situation is troubling given its detrimental impact on the school’s operating expenses.
The following is an excerpt from the statement: “The meeting was informed that approximately 8,000 students throughout various years of study had not paid their tuition or enrolled for their courses. Given the significant negative effects on the operation of the University’s activities, this scenario was quite concerning.
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“In light of this, the meeting resolved to postpone the second semester exams in order to give students a one-week grace period in which to pay their tuition and register for classes. Consequently, the second semester exams will now start on October 24 with final year students.
“Only those students may take part in the second semester exams who have paid fees and registered for their courses. To make this happen, only students whose names are on the exam attendance sheet are permitted into the exam room.
The academic regulations state that students who don’t pay their tuition or sign up for any sessions are presumed to have withdrawn for the year, Eyindah told the pupils.
Deans, department heads, Provosts, directors, and management were further ordered in the statement to fully carry out the resolution.
The university administration and the state government have not responded to the students’ nonviolent demonstration.
