The Ondo State government has dismissed news making the rounds that it has increased tuition in all the state-owned tertiary institutions.

The state government says it has not discussed the issue of fee increment or planned to raise the tuition payable by all the tertiary institutions.

In a statement on Thursday by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Yemi Olowolabi, the state asked students of the schools to disregard the rumour of the tuition hike.

The statement added the students should face their studies rather than being misled by rumour mongers who are only out to discredit the state government.

The management of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko and that of the Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Okitipipa, have buttressed the state government’s position on the fee hike.

A statement by the Acting Registrar of Adekunle Ajasin University, Mr. Opeoluwa Akinfemiwa, explained the management described the rumoured fee hike as wicked and malicious lies being peddled against the Institution by some unscrupulous elements.

The university said it had not raised the instruction’s fee to N250,000 per session, as being speculated.

The university said: “While we do not want to speculate on why they are toeing this path of lies and infamy, management wishes to state firmly and unequivocally that there is no new increase of school fees in AAUA.

“Current school fees in AAUA range between N80,000 and N150,000; the students are allowed to pay twice i.e. between N40,000 and N75,000 per semester; the demand during the recent protest of students was for the university to allow those who have not paid their school fees to write tests/examinations while they pay their school fees later; parents and guardians are advised to ensure that their children and wards pay their school fees without delay, especially since they have the option of paying twice over two semesters.”

The university added that above figures were negotiated with relevant stakeholders, including the students and their parents, and finalized in April last year.

It said it was instructive to note that almost a session has passed since then and students have paid without any issue.

Also, a statement from the office of the Registrar of Ondo State University of Science and Technology confirmed that the institution’s management has not increased the tuition.

The statement claimed that the normal fees being paid by students of the school still remained and that the management had not thought about it and was not considering increasing the institution’s tuition.