Osogbo — Irked by what they described as indiscriminate hike in fees, students in tertiary institutions in Osun State have vehemently protested against the introduction of a new fee regime by the state government.

Under the aegis of the National Association of Nigerian Students {NANS/JCC}, Osun state axis, the students said the recent increase in fees by about 300 per cent in state owned schools amounted to commercialisation of education.

The students who described the hike as unjustified, called on the state government to immediately reverse the increase. They also urged various school authorities to lift the ban placed on their union and reinstate some of their colleagues facing suspension and expulsion for alleged offences.

Addressing a press conference in Osogbo, the chairman of NANS/JCC, Yusuf Ibraheem Olanrewaju noted that the increase in fees had brought untold hardship to their parents adding that the development had made it difficult for many students to continue their education.

The union leader, who led scores of other students to the venue of the press conference held at the NUJ Correspondents' Chapel centre, Osogbo, noted that the new fee regime negated the policy of governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola in providing education for all including indigent students.

The students, who said they were ready to dialogue with the authorities over the issues chided a former union leader, Adeniyi Bamidele, an aide to Oyinlola on student matters, saying that his activities were against the welfare of the students.

According to the NANS president, "We are opposed to the recent increase in fees in tertiary institutions by the state government and we demand immediate recall of all students suspended and expelled in all campuses."

NANS cautioned the government against taking unpopular decision stressing that the introduction of new fees with the current economic hardship would suggest that the government "regards education as a business to be run for profit motive rather than public interest".