Tuition Fees Reversal: LASU to Refund N840m to Students

Lagos State University, LASU, is to refund over N840 million fees paid
by the students following the directive by Governor Babatunde Fashola
to revert it to the old fees of N25, 000.

Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. John Obafunwa who disclosed
this in an interview said management had compiled the list of the
students who would receive the excess fund.

Obafunwa said, "We have already calculated the excess paid by the
students, do not forget that even before the reversal, a lot of them
have already paid for this session and we have already calculated
within, what have been paid in excess. We have calculated over N840
million. It will only be for this session. The reversal does not mean
LASU will go back to where it used to be and the problems of the past.
You cannot go beyond the available infrastructure. You cannot take
more than what you can't admit. I don't see any disadvantage in the
reduction of the fee."

He maintained that the fee reversal was not a decision of the
university's management, noting that "don't forget there is the
governing council and government, who are equally involved. It is a
joint decision. Be that as it may, it is a welcome decision in a way
depending on who is looking at it or commenting."

The vice chancellor however, insisted that the reversal of the fees
would have both good and bad sides, noting that the reversal would be
a reduction in the expenditure of the school.

Assuring parents and students, Obafunwa said, "Nothing is going to
happen to all the capital projects going on in the university.

"The students have a role to play, they should take advantage of the
fee reduction, pay attention to their studies and be more serious. You
can be sure that next year, you will have lots of people applying to
come to LASU, you must have the necessary infrastructure in place to
accommodate any number. If you have more people applying to LASU, it
gives you the opportunity to pick from the best. We are preparing our
minds for those things; we expect parents to educate their children to
maintain a very high standard."

Obafunwa said it was unfortunate that the school had to go through a
phase in the history, saying now that things were in shape, the
current interest of parents, university administration and students
would be to make progress as regard to the academic calendar.

He added "And that is what we are focusing on now and I can tell you
that we have had meeting with students union. The students have paid
their fees. We reopen the portal after making adjustment to the new
fees."