Students of the Faculty of Education at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife have voiced widespread opposition to a proposed Teaching Practice (T.P) fee, highlighting concerns over transparency, fairness, and financial burden. The proposed fee, initially set at ₦20,000 by the Education Students’ Association of Nigeria (ESAN), OAU Chapter, sparked urgent discussions between faculty and student representatives.
The Nigeria Education News’ investigations revealed that previous teaching practice exercises were partially funded by the university. In one instance, approximately ₦3 million was allocated through the intervention of the Vice Chancellor’s wife. For the current cycle, however, university management declined to provide funding, prompting faculty to explore alternative financing options, including a ₦4 million loan to remunerate supervising lecturers. Despite these efforts, lecturers reportedly felt the compensation did not reflect the workload.
Faculty initially proposed a student contribution of ₦40,000–₦45,000, similar to other Nigerian universities. Student representatives resisted, citing the financial strain on self-sponsored students. Following negotiations, the fee was reduced to ₦15,000—₦5,000 for logbooks and ₦10,000 for teaching practice activities. Students were advised not to make any payments until official confirmation.
The Nigeria Education News also documented student reactions, with many describing the increase as excessive. Esther Akintade of the Department of Arts and Social Science Education called for clear justification of the fee. Onsanya Omotoyosi noted that teaching practice already imposes significant financial and physical demands on students, who are unpaid during the six-week exercise. Class representative Agona Paul expressed concern over the 400% increase from previous costs.
Comparisons with other universities revealed disparities. At Tai Solarin Federal University of Education, teaching practice materials cost about ₦6,000, while supervision is largely digitised. At University of Ibadan and University of Lagos, fees are included in bundled school charges or limited to materials ranging from ₦2,500 to ₦7,000.
Faculty officials, led by Dean Professor Alaba Adediwura, stressed that the reduced fee ensures sustainable funding for teaching practice exercises, including adequate remuneration for supervising lecturers. The Nigeria Education News’ findings indicate that ongoing dialogue between students and faculty is crucial to balance financial realities with the operational needs of teaching practice, while ensuring transparency and fairness.
