Abiodun Onafuye,/Abeokuta

Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, southwest, Nigeria today approved the reduction of fees in all State-owned tertiary institutions.

In the new school fees regime, which will take effect from the 2014/2015 academic session, some students will pay 61 percent less than they are currently paying, while some others will be paying as low as N29,700.

The reduction was arrived at after extensive deliberation between government, leadership of the various Students’ Unions and Heads of the institutions.

Also the new school fees regime has abolished the indigene/non-indigene dichotomy as all students offering the same course and the same level will pay the same fees.

Addressing newsmen Tuesday evening at the Press Centre, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta, the State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Barr. Segun Odubela stated that medical students of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), who are paying N301,610 will now be paying N176,596, a 41.4 percent reduction.

Also, students of the Faculty of Arts in the same university will be paying N81,112 instead of the current fee of N126,540, a 35.9 percent reduction.

In Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, MAPOLY, Abeokuta, the school fees has been reduced from N71,300 to N40,000 for Higher National Diploma (HND) while Ordinary National Diploma (OND) students will enjoying a reduction of N22,300, a reduction of between 31.1 and 9.6 percent respectively.

In the new scheme, first year Students of Tai Solarin University of Education, TASUED, Ijagun, will now be paying N75,000, instead of N103,435 being paid before, which,according into the Commissioner represents 27.5 percent reduction.

He further disclosed that “returning students who are paying N93,465 will now be paying N65,000, representing 30.4 percent reduction, while Higher National Diploma, HND students of Ogun State Institute of Technology, Igbesa, who are currently paying N118,000 will now be paying N46,000, a reduction of 61 percent.

“The reduction of fees will also apply to other three Institutes of Technology owned by the State government”, Odubela revealed.

The Commissioner also stated that aside the reduction in the school fees, the State government has also donated 13 buses to the Students’ Union Government, SUG, of all State and Federal Institutions in the State.

Odubela added that the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Ogun State Chapter will also benefit from the largesse.

The State Government however stated that it would always protect the interest of the students as they are future leaders of the nation.