Stage for conflict is now set between parents and the authorities of Caleb University, one of the second generation private universities in Imota, Lagos over the authorities’ imposition of N150 million surcharge on all its students. The university authorities said that the N150 Million would be used to offset the alleged damages done to the school’s property during a riot by some male students on May 13.
The male students had allegedly protested against what they called school’s “very strict dress code and other strict code of conduct.”
In the wake of the protest, the authorities closed the institution and sent all the students back home on May 15.
It was learnt that the next thing the students heard were text messages sent to their parents on May 23, asking male students to pay N100,000 each and females to pay N50,000 each as surcharge for damages to the school’s property during the riot.
The authorities asked the affected studnents to pay the surcharge before they would be allowed to resume on June 2.
It is learnt that the school will rip huge amount of N150 Million from about 1,500 students currently studying in the institution even as sources hinted that what the instution actually needed to put the damaged structures in place is about N2 million.
“How can they force us to pay so much for damages? The university authorities have seen this riot as another opportunity to milk parents,” one of the parents said bitterly.
Another parent described the university as greedy, callous and heartless.
“Rather than fish out the culprits and punish them appropriately, they are scheming to make money from the crisis.
“What kind of repairs are they going to carry out with about N150 million?
“Are they planning to build a new university by exploiting parents?
“The NUC (National Universities Commission) must step in to save parents from these exploiters at Caleb University.”
The text message sent to parents by the university on May 23 reads: “CUL parents and students are hereby notified that school resumes Monday, June 2. Exams start Monday, June 9. Male students are to pay N100,000 while the female would pay N50,000 by bank draft into Ecobank Account 1993000979 to offset damage to school property. Balance of school fees should be paid into Sterling Bank Acct. 0020022195.
“No student would be allowed into the university premises without evidence of payment of school fees and the surcharge. A guarantor must accompany each student with a letter of undertaking to be of good behaviour.”
[myad]
