Students in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Lagos (UNILAG) have boycotted a practical session due to a breach of directive between the department authorities and students.
The boycott comes after an increase in obligatory fees from #21,000 to #140,750 and #170,250 for students who offer laboratory specialized courses.
The department had earlier passed a memo stating that laboratory manuals or materials were no longer for sale. However, a line-by-line analysis of the new fees payable revealed that laboratory charges had been pegged at #40,000 as part of the fee increments.
Students are questioning why they are being asked to buy manuals and consumables after paying #40,000 for lab. They are also being forced to buy reagents despite the fee hike.
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A fresh memo claiming to be resolutions from a management meeting with the Deans stated that laboratory manuals are now available for sale at the University Bookshop and students must purchase the manual to be allowed access to the laboratory.
This move by the university management has been met with widespread criticism by affected students across the university who are still struggling to settle down into the already grueling academic session. The UNILAG authorities have claimed that the fee increase was necessary to guarantee the smooth running of the university.
However, the effects of this bold claim are yet to be experienced by students who are now agitating and calling on the management to uphold its own end of the bargain or risk facing a popular student uprising in the days to come.
