UNICAL bows to pressure, suspends fee hike

Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), Prof Florence Obi, has directed that the recent hike in school charges by the institution be put on hold until further notice 

The Public Relations Officer of the university, Mr Effiong Eyo, made this known in a statement, titled “UNICAL management suspends payment of school charges till further notice,” made available to The Guardian in Calabar, yesterday.
  
Eyo stated that the Registrar of the university, Mr Gabriel Egbe, had disclosed that the directive came on the heels of a protest embarked upon by students of the institution over the recent adjustment in undergraduate school charges. 
  
In the statement, the registrar said: “The management of the institution is a listening administration and has accordingly assured the students as critical stakeholders that appropriate arrangements have been put in place through constructive engagements with the students to resolve the matter. 
  
“Management commends the students for the mature, reasonable, and civilised manner exhibited towards resolving the matter.”  Recall that the students of UNICAL embarked on a peaceful protest against the increment in charges for undergraduates, announced by the management of the university, early Monday. 
  
A statement by the Public Relations Officer of the institution, Mr Effiong Eyo, made available to journalists in Calabar, had said the university announced a slight adjustment in the charges for undergraduates of the institution. 
  
The statement added that the slight adjustment in the charges was the outcome of an emergency meeting of the Senate of the University held on Friday, December 1, 2023.