A watchdog group in Imo State, the Imo Awareness Coalition, IAC, has called on Governor Hope Uzodinma, not to accept the recommendation of IMSU Visitation Panel, which recommended tuition fees for students in the university to N90,000 per semester.
Fidelis Echendu, Publicity Secretary of the group said “the recommendation is not feasible and realistic, considering the economic downturn in the country triggered by the coronavirus pandemic
“The recommendation by the IMSU Visitation Panel that students should pay as much N90,000 per semester is unacceptable, moreso when salaries of workers in the State, who are also parents of some of the students have not been forthcoming or regular in the State lately
The Panel chaired by former Vice Chancellor, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof Chinedu Nebo was set up by the sacked administration of Emeka Ihedioha.
Prof Nebo while submitting it’s report to Governor Hope Uzodinma in Owerri, described the free education programme introduced by the Rochas Okorocha administration as a sham.
Prof Nebo said there is need to reintroduce tuition fees, recommending N90,000 per semester as against N75,000 for students in Federal institutions.
According to him, accreditation was denied many faculties in the university such as medicine, stating that among numerous abandoned projects in the university, the worst hit was the School of Medicine.
He said for IMSU to produce graduates that are acceptable nationally and globally, it must adopt the entreprenurial model for education