Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

Scores of students turned out for registration at the University of Technology (UTech) yesterday, despite a request from the Students' Union that they boycott registration in protest against the administration's decision to hike tuition fees.

"Quite a number of persons came out for registration out of ignorance but we are hoping that students may be patriotic to the union's request and not register," said Karl Wilkinson, president of the UTech Students' Union.

"I was in the registration room and we had new and returning students registering," said Hector Wheeler, head of communications at UTech.

Last month, the university said new students in the Faculty of Business and Management will see an increase of 21 per cent, while returning students from the faculty would pay an increase of 16 per cent.

Discrepancies in increases

All new students will pay a 20 per cent increase and other returning students would pay a 15 per cent increase.

However, the Students' Union said there were discrepancies in the increases as the announced hikes are not applicable to tuition fees only.

According to the lobby group, students will face increases of up to 63 per cent for other aspects of their programmes.

The union said this increase would result in overall fees for returning students being hiked by 20 per cent, and up to 42 per cent for new students.

"We want them lowered, and we want some mitigation," said Mr. Wilkinson.

While admitting that boycotting registration would affect the start of the school year, Mr. Wilkinson said students would not be able to attend classes if they cannot afford the fees.

"We have to take it from all angles ... because not many students can afford a 20 per cent increase," he told The Gleaner yesterday.

Mr. Wilkinson said executive members of the union would be meeting with the Minister of Education and Youth, Maxine Henry-Wilson, and a representative from UTech tomorrow to discuss the increased fees.