By Tochi Onyeubi
Palpable fear has gripped students of Imo state University over plans to increase the school fees.
This seem not to be setting down well with many of them following strong indications last week at various quarters, of increase in school fees to about 60%.
Trumpeta gathered that before now, under the free education of former governor Rochas Okorocha, students of Imo state extraction pay the sum of Fourty- Five Thousand (#45,000) while those from other states pay the sum of N150,000.
But there are fears within the school premises that a new regime of school fees may be introduced which will see those from Imo State now pay N120, 000 while non indigenes may be fixed N190, 000.
This unconfirmed report has been causing uneasy calm in the campus even as high cost of text books has become the order of the day in IMSU.
What has however worsened the fears is the sealed lips of top officials of the institution who have kept the said new fees to their chest.
When Trumpeta spoke to a student of the school who hails from Abia state, from a department in Humanities, she said ever since the school fees for non Imo indigenes increased to N150,000, she has not been able to pay her fees.
The student who refused her name in print, said she has retired parents whose pension is not enough not to talk of paying off the backlog of fees she owed.
The Public Relations Officer of the school when contacted, said there were no official document to increment of fees.
He however stated that the school council has been having series of meeting over the matter, but no decision has been reached yet.
Trumpeta findings revealed that, a General Studies Lecturer, name withheld, over the weekend mandated a course rep from the Psychology department to inform students of intending surprise test for the department.
This said test is specifically meant for only those who have paid for her textbooks.
It was also gathered that, students of the faculty woefully failed her course and there are strong hints for those who “need help” to meet their course reps for possible “sorting”.
Sales of textbooks in Imo state university, has become a huge enterprise for lecturers and the success of students are tied to their ability to buy these books for them, according to what Trumpeta learnt.
There has been sad tales from students of how they failed, owing to their inability to purchase these textbooks.
Trumpeta learnt that in Social science department, books range from N1000 up to N4,500. Business Faculty is also not having it easy, a particular textbook in Education Banking is sold at #7000.
A student in Education Banking and Finance who pleaded anonymity, said he is at cross roads, adding that his parents have been able to keep up with the purchase of his textbooks after paying his house rent and supporting him to return to school.
He expressed fear of passing his exams since most lecturers has special preferences to exam scripts of those who bought their textbooks.
Another voice note obtained from a department’s social media page, showed an emotionally drained student bemoaning his fate in the school in a tired voice.
Engineering faculty of the school is said to pay highest in textbooks, followed by Law faculty and Nursing respectively.
One Mrs Onyinyechi Anoruo from Owerri North, a Civil Servant said she was shocked when her daughter came home with a bill of almost Fifty Thousand to pay for text books.
She appealed to all concerned to look into the high rise of books in the school, stressing that if the library fully equipped and expanded, there will not be need to buy textbooks.
She further stated that other higher institutions in the state is not charging the way Imo state University does.
