‘COVID-19 Academy Revalidation Fee’ Imposed On Tertiary Institutions’ Students Spark Protest In Delta

An instruction by authority of the Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, to postgraduate and undergraduate students to revalidate their registration for the 2019/2020 academic session with the payment of COVID-19 N5,000 levies, has sparked protest in the institution.

DELSU management, in a memo on Monday October 5, 2020, had directed undergraduate and diploma students returning for the second semester of the 2019/2020 academic session to pay N5,000 for COVID-19 facilities.

The institution also directed postgraduate students at all levels to pay N10,000 for COVID-19 facilities upon resumption this week.

The school claims that the money was to enable it plan for the health and safety of students after resumption for the second semester of 2019/2020 academic session which started on Monday October 5, 2020.

The memo entitled, “Approved Guidelines For All Returning Postgraduate And Undergraduate Students”. reads; All returning postgraduate and undergraduate students of the Delta State University are required to take the following steps in order to revalidate their registration for the 2019/2020 academic session.

“This is to enable Management plan for the health and safety of the students in the use lecture halls and ensure proper precautionary measures are taken in the allocation of students in the halls for the second semester examination in line with the Federal Ministry Education and NCDC COVID-19 guidelines. The steps are:

“Payment of COVID-19 facilities upgrade charge of N5,000.00 by all returning undergraduate and diploma students and N10,000.00 only for all postgraduate students.

“After payment in designated banks, students should proceed to print registration reconfirmation/revalidation from the University website (www.delsu,edu.ng) using your matriculation number as login detail. This should be done the next day after payment.

“Submission of a copy of the printed registration reconfirmation/revalidation to the office of your Head of Department.”

BIGPEN learnt that the student of Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro, Isoko North Local Government Area of the state, are also being force by the institution’s management to pay N5,000 as COVID-19 fees.

Meanwhile, students and parents have protested the COVID-19 levy, which they described as extortion at a time when people are yearning for palliatives to survive COVID-19.

A statement by the National Association of Delta State Students (NADESTTU), warned students in the state not to pay the new fee which they described as “blatant extortion” of students and their parent/guardians.

The statement signed NADESSTU President, Godwin Saturday, reads; “We have consulted with all the critical stakeholders and sister organization on this Issue and we vehemently say no to this extortion. We want to inform the students that we are prepared to resist the wickedness by all legal means possible and modalities are already in top gear to ensure our students are saved from this extortion.”

“We are by this notice directing all returning students in respective Tertiary Institutions in Delta State not to pay the COVID-19 levy slammed on them by their institutions.

“The National Association of Delta State Students (NADESSTU) Worldwide, we received the news of this development in rude shock and disappointment that the management of these institutions are this insensitive to the plight and situation of Nigerians and students”, Saturday stated.

“Due to the long holiday, the house rents of most students have expired, many parents have lost their jobs, others are challenged with salary cut and the economy is biting on low income earners yet institutions still went ahead to slam the students with an unjustifiable Covid-19 levy at resumption.”