Bouesti students protest 100% tuition payment policy

By Idowu Adebomi

Academic activities at Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology (BOUESTI), Ikere-Ekiti, were disrupted on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, as students staged a peaceful protest against the university’s policy requiring them to pay 100 per cent of their tuition fees before registration.

The protesting students, drawn from various faculties and departments, gathered at the university’s main gate early in the morning, displaying placards and chanting slogans to express their displeasure with the policy.

The students argued that the requirement to pay tuition fees in full at once would place a significant financial burden on students and their families, especially amid the prevailing economic hardship in the country.

They appealed to the university management to reconsider the policy and restore the option of paying fees in instalments or through other flexible payment arrangements.

Some of the protesters said that although they remained committed to their academic pursuits, many students could be forced to abandon their studies if the policy was implemented without alternative payment options.

Security operatives were deployed to the university premises to maintain law and order, while the protest remained peaceful, with no reported cases of violence or damage to property.

The students also called on the university management to engage in dialogue with the Students’ Union and other relevant stakeholders to find a lasting solution that would safeguard students’ welfare while addressing the institution’s financial obligations.

As of the time of filing this report, the university management had yet to issue an official statement on the protest or respond to the demands of the students.

The protesters, however, expressed optimism that constructive engagement with the authorities would lead to a resolution that would balance the financial needs of the university with the ability of students and their families to meet their educational expenses.