‘Our Students Using Their School Fees To Play Bet9ja’, UNIBEN Raises Alarm

The University of Benin (UNIBEN) Students’ Union Government (SUG) has lamented that “most students” of the institution either “eat” or use the tuition fees given to them by their parents to place bets on sporting platforms, instead of paying their school charges.

The Mr Nmoye Israel led ‘Leora’ SUG executives raised the alarm in a memo issued Sunday night, and made available to WAKAGIST, while lamenting that only about 30 per cent of the students have paid their charges for the current academic session.

The Union was reacting to the infamous ‘No School Fees, No Exam’ policy of the University Management which placed a ban on students owing school charges for the session from sitting for the forthcoming semester examinations which commences on Monday 8th May.

The Union leaders lamented that the “lackadaisical attitudes”(sic) of students towards paying their school fees has led to huge debt burden on the University, thereby, making it difficult for Management to run the system smoothly.

While vowing to always protect the students’ interest, the UNIBEN SUG in the memo jointly signed by the President, Nmoye Israel and Secretary-Genaeral, Apeji Rita, maintained that the “lackadaisical attitude” of students towards paying school fees was becoming alarming.

“The University is not a charity organisation and must be funded. We always demand from the Management to meet our needs but how do you expect the management to fund this need?”, Mr Israel and Miss Rita queried.

“We always demand light, water, security, nice environment, exam materials and all from management. The money to keep our demands running is very huge and cannot be achieved in a school that school fees are not being paid. If we must demand much from management, we must play our part as well must all come in equity,” the memo added.

The UNIBEN SUG, however, said the Union was not unaware that there were some indigent students amongst them, noting that the Union leaders were already in talks with Management on a scholarship/donation platform for such category of students.

While expressing confidence for a “grace extension” from management for the affected students, having appealed to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Lilian Salami, the SUG, however, said at the end of such ‘grace period’, the Union would be left with no other choice but to ‘turn its back’ on students who fail to pay charges owed.

Management announces one-week ‘grace period’

Meanwhile, management of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) has given one-week of grace to students, yet to pay their school charges to do so, as examinations commence Monday in line with the Institution’s academic calendar.

A statement issued on Sunday night by the University’s spokesperson, Mrs Benedicta Ehanire, made available to METROWATCH, said the grace period was approved by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Lilian Salami, following appeals by the SUG and other stakeholders.

“Enforcement of the ‘no payment of school charges, no examinations’ will, therefore, not be carried out in the first week,” the UNIBEN spokesperson, Mrs Ehanire noted.

Management, therefore, urged all students who are still owing to take advantage of the week of grace to pay up as the ‘no school fee, no exam’ rule will be strictly applied afterwards.