UNIPORT Set for Increment Of Tuition/School Fee Due To Poor Economy-VC

The Vice Chancellor of University of Port
Harcourt (UNIPORT), Prof. Joseph Ajienka,
has warned that except public universities
are allowed to increase school fees, they
may soon collapse due to poor funding.

Prof. Ajienka who made the assertion while
briefing newsmen on activities lined up to
mark the university’s 30th convocation
ceremony, said that universities in Nigeria
today were bugged down by a combination
of factors.

He noted that critically needed funding was
dwindling by the day, in the face of failing
oil prices, while the average cost of running
each university is correspondingly
escalating by the day.

Ajienka lamented the present scenario
where the university system continues to
strain under the weight of underfunding
from statutory sources, and indifference
from society at large no longer makes
sense.

The VC said it remains inexplicable that
some Nigerians were prepared to pay huge
sums to sustain quality education in other
countries, and yet treat the ones here with
utter contempt.

He emphasised that parents should pay a
little more to sustain the Nigerian university
system if they still hope to see public
universities in the next 10 years.