UNILAG explains why students were asked to come with mattresses

The management of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) has explained why students were directed to come to campus with their mattresses and other personal items.

UNILAG’s Head of Information Unit, Alhaja Adejoke Alaga-Ibraheem, who spoke to journalists on Wednesday, said the directive was due to health reasons because the halls are being renovated ahead of the students’ resumption later in the month.

She said: “We asked the students to come with their own bedding materials for health reasons. That has been the practice for some time. It is not new. We are also working on the renovation of the various hostels. Some of them would be fully renovated before the students resume later in the month.

“Those whose renovation works might not be completed before the students resume, we are going to continue to work on them. We are working to make the hostels conducive for the students.

“As for the complaints that the hostel fees should be enough for the school to provide those items, we all know the situation in the country and the cost of items. N65,000 for instance as a hostel fee for a year is not expensive going by what people pay for private accommodation.

READ ALSO: UNILAG introduces instalment payment to cushion effect of fee increment 

“The management is mindful of the welfare of the students and we are making all efforts to make their stay on campus comfortable.”

The school management in August increased obligatory fees, including hostel fees.

The hostel fee was initially increased from N25,000 to between N100,000 and N120,000 depending on the type of hostel.

The management, however, reduced the fee to between N65,000 and N85,000, after parents and teachers protested the increment.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now