In reaction to the management’s decisions, students are now gathering for fresh round of protests.
Olayomi Koiki
Ibadan – The management of the University of Ibadan (UI) has told its students to vacate campus for three weeks, from Saturday, 31 August.
The campus will be reopened on the noon of September 20, according to an internal memo released to students on August 31, signed by university registrar G.O Saliu.
“Following the meeting of University Management with the leadership of the Students Union today, Friday, 30 August, 2024, the Vice-Chancellor, on behalf of Senate, has approved three weeks break for students of the University of Ibadan, with effect from Saturday, 31 August, 2024 to 20 September, 2024,” the memo read in part.
“The hostels will be reopened for students from 12 noon on Friday, 20 September, 2024. Students are, therefore, to note the following:
“The three weeks is to give students ample time to complete their online registration. The 2023/2024 first semester examinations will now start on Monday, 23 September, 2024. The portal for registration will be closed on Friday, 20 September, 2024.
“There will be no re-opening of the portal for fee payment or course registration after 20 September, 2024. Students who do not register appropriately will not be allowed to write examinations. All students are to vacate the University Campus latest by 2.00pm on Saturday, 31 August, 2024.”
Students started to protest on Thursday night after the school’s governing council announced that students have till September 4 to pay their school fees- a six-day deadline.
The decision then spurred protests which continued on Friday, after which the school management fixed a meeting with the students’ union on Friday, 3 pm.
During the meeting held at the Adeoye Lambo Senate Chamber which lasted for three hours, the management proposed a three-week payment deadline, a development which the irate students rejected.
The outcome of the meeting did not pacify the students as protests continued, forcing the school management to announce the school’s closure to students on Saturday.
Friday’s memo said that school fees payment portals will not be re-opened after the three weeks grace and that those who do not pay before the end of the break would be barred from writing examinations.
In reaction to the management’s decisions, students are now gathering for fresh round of protests.