WARRI- As controversy continues to trail the purported increase of acceptance fee payable by newly admitted students of the Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, the institutions’ Management, has debunked the development which he described as unfounded.
The institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Victor Peretomode, who conveyed this position to Daily Watch in an interview, stated that it did not increase the acceptance fee as alleged, but only made a minor adjustment.
Peretomode said that acceptance fee is N30, 000 for indigenes while non-indigenes are to pay N40, 000 across board, but added that the N81, 000 which was the subject of controversy was a proposal sent to the Commissioner for Higher Education for approval by His Excellency, which was eventually uploaded in error.
He said inter-alia : ” We did not increase acceptance fee for newly admitted students as alleged; rather, we only made a minor adjustment from N21, 000 to N31, 000 for Deltans irrespective of the courses whether professional or non-professional courses while non-Deltans is N40, 000.
” The N81, 000 for professionals courses and N51, 000 for non-Deltans acceptance and N101, 000 for non Deltans offering professional courses was only uploaded in error, hence they should go about their screening and other activities peacefully.”
On those who had already paid the acceptance fee in error, Peretomode said :” Any candidate who had paid the N80,000/N100, 000 would have the difference of N50, 000/N60, 000 credited to him/her as part of school fees.”
On the rumor that the university has increased school fees to N250, 000, for Deltans and N350, 000 for non-Deltans, respectively, the VC vehemently denied it.
” We did not increase any school fees and we don’t have the intention of increasing it. As a university, we are not unmindful of the prevailing economic situation which has adversely affected every sector of the economy and as such; we cannot increase the school fees. We are parents and so we have their interest at heart.
” I want to urge students, parents and guardians to disregard the rumours on social media that we have increased school fees. Such rumour is the brain child of mischief makers who are bent on heating the polity unnecessarily.”
It would be recalled that a gail of criticism has trailed last week’s purported increase of acceptance fee which stakeholders in Delta State described as arbitrary and insensitive in the light of the prevailing recessionary economy.
The said adjustment as claimed by the vice chancellor of the University Professor Victor Peretomode is questionable and laughable as to where the said adjustment trigger to, is it in favour of the students or management? The student body had earlier complained of sharp practices of the University authority of collecting outrageous acceptance fees from new students which they have vowed to protest against the school authorities in 48 hours ultimatum; except the University management reverses the policy and returns the extra-money collected to the affected students.
