From Ifeoma Ejiofor
Some students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU) Awka are currently in a pensive mood for their inability to pay their school charges before the July 23rd deadline set by the management under the leadership of the Vice Chancellor, Prof Charles Okechukwu Esimone.
The Acting Head, Information and Public Relations Unit for the university, Chika G. Ene had in a notice said, “The Vice Chancellor has graciously approved the final extension for the payment of school charges to Sunday 23rd July, 2023.
“This is the second and final extension for the payment of the school charges. Students are advised to make payment promptly so they can be able to register courses for the upcoming examinations.”
But, some of the students who could not meet up with deadline are worried about what they called insensitivity of the school management to current economic reality in Nigeria.
Some of the students who spoke with journalists on the grounds of anonymity said that they cannot even concentrate to prepare for their examinations as their fate is hanging in the balance.
“It is not that we don’t want to pay the school charges, we have always been paying, some of us were even paying immediately we resumed from holidays but things are hard for our parents at the moment.
“We want the school authorities to give our parents some time to rally round for the money to pay the charges, it was announced at certain time that any student who didn’t pay at the expiration of the final extension would pay a fine of twenty five thousand Naira (N25,000). This is harsh and inconsiderate on the part of the management.”
The students appealed for more understanding on the part of the management and asked for indefinite suspension of the deadline for payment because of current economic crunch many Nigerians are passing through at the moment.
They also tongue lashed the leadership of the Students Union Government (SUG) of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka for turning themselves to an appendage of the school authority, instead of protecting the interest of the generality of the students.
“We are aware of what the SUG of other schools are doing towards the protection of the interest of their students but at NAU, we are on our own.” The students lamented.
All attempts to get the response from the management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka did not yield any positive dividend as the VC could not be reached on phone.