The students of the 1st year of medicine classified this rise as "aberrant". In statements to Novo Jornal, a group of medical students, who preferred not to be identified, revealed that this change caused a climate of tension and unease among students and the university.
Before the covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, tuition fees were set at 48,000 kwanzas. However, although classes were suspended for about seven months (resumed in October last year) because of covid-19, the tuition fees rose to 175,950 kwanzas.
A source linked to the rectory, which did not want to be identified, justified the price increase with the depreciation of the kwanza, the costs they have with the disposable material of the laboratories and with the construction of the University Polyclinic Center, inaugurated last week and that will serve to realize internships for students in the health area, writes Novo Jornal.
The students consider that this increase is disproportionate when compared to the prices practiced in other universities in the country.
Many said that last year they didn't leave UPRA because the enrollment phase had already been closed and they had no other alternative but to enter this university and they also made known that when they enrolled in UPRA they already knew that there would be an increase in the fees and that the information they had was that the value would be, at most, up to 60 thousand kwanzas.
"We were surprised when the board let us do the registration and then raised it to 175 thousand kwanzas," they said.
The students eventually reported the situation, in October 2020, to the Criminal Investigation Service. All parties have already been heard, but no measures have been taken yet, says Novo Jornal.
The student association of UPRA regretted what happened. "Last year, as a result of the demonstrations we made, it was agreed that no student should do the confirmation, as well as no candidate should do the enrollment, until the case was solved", they indicated, in a statement.
The student association also revealed that last year they made "an agreement with the board of UPRA" and it was agreed that there would only be a 13 percent increase, as determined by the Ministry of Finance in agreement with the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation.
"We don't understand how the board raised the price that way," the association added.
In declarations to Novo Jornal, Joaquim Caiombo, president of the Students Association of Private Universities of Angola, indicated that complaints about this situation have been coming in daily from students and parents of UPRA.
Recalling the agreement of 13 per cent, the responsible regretted what happened, indicating that "it is not permissible that the families can pay monthly fees in these prices".
He also said that the association is saddened by the silence of the Ministry of Finance: "Unfortunately we are saddened by the Ministry of Finance, being the institution that legally authorizes the increase of tuition fees in the subsystem of higher education, but it remains silent.
Novo Jornal contacted UPRA's management, but its secretary asked for a written request to be sent.
