Draining the pockets: Agriculture University doubles annual and admission fees
Students threaten to take to the streets if amount not reduced.
Minister says universites have increased fees because of financial crisis PHOTO: PPI
PESHAWAR:
University of Agriculture, Peshawar has nearly doubled its admission and annual tuition fee, irking students who have threatened to take to the streets against the administration if the fees are not reduced.
“The increase in fees has enraged students as they cannot afford to pay such a high amount,” said MS student Ayub Kakar.
Until last year, he said, the annual fee for an MS student was Rs31,000 whereas this year the amount has been increased to Rs62,000, marking a 100% increase. On the other hand, the university prospectus says the annual fees will be increased by only 10% every year, he added.
“When we approached the university administration, they justified the increase saying payment for security arrangements have also been included in the fees,” said Kakar.
He maintained they have now given an ultimatum of two weeks to the university administration. If the administration fails to revise the fees, students will come out to protest on main University Road and hold the administration responsible in case of any untoward incident, he warned.
A student of BSc, Ashfaq Ahmad, said the annual fee was previously Rs15,355 whereas this year it has gone up to Rs21,000 for just one semester. “This rounds it up to Rs42,000 per year as there are two semesters in a year.”
Most of the students, he said, belong to low-income backgrounds and an increase in the fee can deprive them of receiving higher education.
Director Admissions Munir Khattak admitted annual fee has been increased, but said it is still less in comparison with what is charged by other universities. He denied that the increase includes the amount for security arrangements, adding it is the university’s responsibility to provide security to students, and guards should be paid from the university funds. The increase, he stressed, is routine and accounts for inflation.
K-P Minister for Higher Education Mushtaq Ghani, on the other hand, said universities are facing a financial crisis due to which they are increasing their fees. If universities do not increase the fees, they will have to shut down, he said. “However, the increase only applies to newly enrolled students.”
Published in The Express Tribune, January 27th, 2015.
University of Agriculture, Peshawar has nearly doubled its admission and annual tuition fee, irking students who have threatened to take to the streets against the administration if the fees are not reduced.
“The increase in fees has enraged students as they cannot afford to pay such a high amount,” said MS student Ayub Kakar.
Until last year, he said, the annual fee for an MS student was Rs31,000 whereas this year the amount has been increased to Rs62,000, marking a 100% increase. On the other hand, the university prospectus says the annual fees will be increased by only 10% every year, he added.
“When we approached the university administration, they justified the increase saying payment for security arrangements have also been included in the fees,” said Kakar.
He maintained they have now given an ultimatum of two weeks to the university administration. If the administration fails to revise the fees, students will come out to protest on main University Road and hold the administration responsible in case of any untoward incident, he warned.
A student of BSc, Ashfaq Ahmad, said the annual fee was previously Rs15,355 whereas this year it has gone up to Rs21,000 for just one semester. “This rounds it up to Rs42,000 per year as there are two semesters in a year.”
Most of the students, he said, belong to low-income backgrounds and an increase in the fee can deprive them of receiving higher education.
Director Admissions Munir Khattak admitted annual fee has been increased, but said it is still less in comparison with what is charged by other universities. He denied that the increase includes the amount for security arrangements, adding it is the university’s responsibility to provide security to students, and guards should be paid from the university funds. The increase, he stressed, is routine and accounts for inflation.
K-P Minister for Higher Education Mushtaq Ghani, on the other hand, said universities are facing a financial crisis due to which they are increasing their fees. If universities do not increase the fees, they will have to shut down, he said. “However, the increase only applies to newly enrolled students.”
Published in The Express Tribune, January 27th, 2015.