September 17, (THEWILL) – The Senate of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) has approved the suspension of the N20,000 late registration fee imposed by the school management.
The University’s vice-chancellor, Professor Lilian Salami, had verbally suspended the charge on Wednesday after protesting students reportedly stormed her lodge and forced her to trek the long distance to the school’s main gate.
A statement issued on Thursday night by the Registrar of the University, Mr Ademola Bobola, said the Senate has ratified the pronouncement by the vice-chancellor.
Bobola said the Senate also directed that monies already paid by defaulting students be refunded via modalities to be worked out by the Bursary Department.
The statement reads, “The Senate of the University of Benin has held another virtual meeting – the second in twenty-four hours – and adopted the verbal pronouncement by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Lilian Salami, withdrawing the twenty thousand naira penalty for late payment of school charges by students of the Institution.
“Senate also approved the decision that money already paid by defaulting students be refunded via modalities to be worked out by the Bursary Department.
“Consequently, lectures are to resume on Monday 20th September, 2021, to enable students who obeyed the directive on school closure and travelled to return.
“The University’s decision-making body also agreed that a new time-line be set for the payment of the school charges for the 2020/2021 Academic Session and directed that the re-activation of charges for Postgraduate Programmes be sent to the Board of Postgraduate School for review.
“While reiterating that penalty for late payment of school charges, which has been in existence for years in the University should not be set aside but modified, moved a vote of confidence on the University’s Management praising the Vice-Chancellor for her wisdom, courage, and magnanimity in acceding to the reason for the students’ protest.”
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