NUST Graduating Students Protests

National University of Science And Technology students expected to graduate on November 8 have protested against exorbitant graduation fees NewsDay reports. In a memo sent to their administration, the graduants petitioned their leaders by saying:

We the undersigned Nust graduands would like to express our discontentment following the unanticipated 700% increase in the graduation fee.

We are not unmindful of the current economic downturn, but our parents are peasant and they haven’t had complementary increases in their salaries. We are appealing to your higher office to bid a commendable farewell to the future leaders and afford families and friends to celebrate the academic successes of their own by reviewing downwards the graduation fee to a reasonable and justifiable amount, which is a reflection of what other State universities are charging under the same economic hardships

The graduation fee rose from $85 to $600 excluding food and a graduation gown.

More: Newsday