FUTA postpones resumption indefinitely amid ongoing protests

By Sodiq Adelakun

The Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) has postponed the resumption of students for the 2023/2024 academic session indefinitely due to ongoing protests.

The school management has also ordered all students currently on campus and in hostels to vacate them within 24 hours.

The announcement was made in a statement by the Director of Corporate Communication, Adegbenro Adebanjo, on Monday.

The statement also directed that registration of returning students and payment of fees for the new academic session via the university portal, which was scheduled to start on Monday, January 15, 2024, be put on hold.

The management clarified that the institution did not open the portal for registration for returning students for the new session, contrary to what was being circulated in the public domain.

The protests at FUTA have been ongoing for several days, with students demanding better living conditions and improved academic facilities. The school management has yet to release a statement addressing the specific concerns of the protesting students.

“The Management also directed that registration of returning students and payment of fees for the new academic session via the university portal scheduled to start on Monday, January 15, 2024, be put on hold.

“It is important to state that the institution did not open the portal for Registration for Returning Students for the new session contrary to what was being bandied about in the public domain.

“On the proposed new fees and charges, they are mainly for students-related services which are sourced from the economy and the costs of such goods and services provided by the University for the students will certainly be impacted by costs of goods and services in the economy.

“To ensure the smooth running of the University, certain consumables and payments for municipal services such as hostel maintenance, water, electricity and cleaning and sundry among others are necessary and the costs of providing the services have shot up and the new charges are in response to this.

“It is important to note that Tuition is free for all students and no money is being charged as tuition fee.”

Recall that students of the institution had protested the 100 percent increase in their tuition.