By Gavin Mackintosh-
Nigerian students studying at Swansea University have been reportedly thrown off their courses and threatened with security and told to return home after their tuition fees were paid “hours late”.
Three students approached ITV News Wales to say they have been left with the prospect of deportation despite handing over thousands of pounds to the university.
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The disgruntled students said they informed the university that their fees may arrive late due to a banking crisis suffered during Nigeria’s presidential election in February of this year, when the country fell into a cash crisis when it attempted to replace its old currency with a new one.
The students were enrolled on master’s courses at the School of Management at Swansea Universities Bay Campus.
The news , first revealed by ITV News, raises issue of fairness and legitimacy on the part of the university, if they show to demonstrate flexibility in this cases.
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Deadlines are put in place to establish order and set a deadline to expected arrangements set.
However, in the event of marginal lateness, it would appear to make sense for the university to charge a penalty fee to the students, rather than abort their chances of an education.
When approached by The Eye Of Media. Com to explain why there are no provision for mitigating circumstances , which could include s penalty fee for late payment, rather than denying the students the education they have paid for, a press representative told this publication they could not immediately answer the question.
Swansea University said it has been “saddened” over recent months to hear of the difficulties of the banking situation in Nigeria and that they had dealt with the students on multiple occasions, offering guidance about their situation and advice about the best course of action to protect their opportunities for future studies.
“In response to these claims, Swansea University confirmed that staff did warn the students security would be called if they didn’t leave the faculty office, but only after the students had made multiple visits and were told nothing more could be done to help them.
Swansea University has an international student population of around 3,500 pupils and is viewed as a popular institution for those wanting to study overseas.
The vast majority of overseas students applying to join the university’s 3,500 pupils in the UK originate from Nigeria with only China and India providing more international students. 2021/22, annual tuition fees for international undergraduate students in the UK* started at £11,400 (US $14,130). This rose to as much as £32,081 (US $39,770).
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