Navigating the Data Price Surge: How OAU Students Are Adapting to Rising Internet Costs

By
By Eniola Adeyeye 
Data is essential in almost every aspect of life, serving as the foundation for knowledge, decision-making, and technological advancement. The recent increase in data prices has significantly impacted students. Many students rely heavily on internet access for academic activities such as attending online classes, conducting research, and submitting assignment. The hike in data costs has led to financial strain, as many students use larger part of their allowance on data.

Students Lament
Favour, a second-year student of Sociology and Anthropology, lamented that "as a student and also a graphic designer, this issue affects me more and can sometimes be frustrating." According to her, as a graphic designer, she relies heavily on the internet for downloading design resources, watching tutorials to improve her skills, and communicating with her clients. To do all these, she needs a stable internet connection, which is now more expensive. This results in her work being slow and sometimes causes frustration.

Favour proceeded to explain how the hike in data prices has affected her studies as well. "I would say the rise in data prices has made studying harder. I need the internet for research, assignments, and online classes, but now that I spend more money on data, it is difficult to keep up with school updates and communicate with lecturers and classmates. Even watching educational videos or relaxing with entertainment has become expensive. Many students now look for free Wi-Fi or reduce their internet use, which affects our studies."


Favour pressed on, sharing her thoughts on what the school can do to help. In her words, she pointed out how the school could reduce the burden on students regarding data by improving the campus WiFi and making it free or cheaper for students. She also explained how lecturers could assist by providing more offline materials so that students would not feel the need to use the internet too often.

In an interview with Oluwasemilore Nifemi, a second-year student of Mass Communication, she voiced her frustration about the dwindling availability of data. "The hike in data costs has been really tough, devastating, and has caused me to postpone assignments and miss some of my online classes. Not only are these data expensive, but they also deplete quickly, regardless of the type of subscription," she said.

Chisom Martha, a student in the Faculty of Law, pointed out various aspects of how the hike in data prices is affecting her daily activities. She said, "As a law student, you must read a lot; you must know the current trends, not just in your field but in all aspects worldwide in order to understand what is happening so as not to be lagging behind." She went on to state, "For us to do all these things, data is very important, but since there has been a hike in data prices, access to materials has decreased. Attending online classes has become more challenging, even though it is crucial for us as law students."

Chisom also explained how the increase in data costs has affected her financially. The money she used to spend in a month no longer sustains her for the same period, as most of her funds are now spent on data. She lamented that free online classes are no longer truly free. "Even though there has been an increase in data prices, we no longer have access to free online classes, and this is hindering our ability to explore as we ought to. We no longer have vast access to information as we once did, and this is affecting us greatly."

Chisom suggested how the school can be of help in a situation like this. She said, "I think one of the ways the school can assist is by providing free Wi-Fi during school sessions. Whenever you are on the school premises as a student, you will have no worries about data." She also spoke about the creation of sufficient library resources. "The school should ensure that there are updated materials for all fields of study so that students do not feel the need to go online for the same materials," she said.

Kayode Janet, a food science and technology student, explained how the hike in data prices has caused more damage than good. She said, "The increase in data prices prevents me from receiving important notifications from school on time because I am trying to manage my data usage." She further stated, "Most of us have to use our money for food and handouts, and at times, we need to buy data to stay active and receive any news, both academically and socially, because without data, my peers will graduate without me knowing, which is really affecting me." Janet also mentioned how the school could assist students by providing academic areas with free Wi-Fi during academic hours or by offering data plans at lower prices.

The recent hike in data prices has created significant challenges, particularly for students, businesses, and individuals who rely heavily on internet access. The higher costs have made it difficult for students to access educational resources, forcing them to seek alternatives such as public Wi-Fi and data-sharing.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Fresher's Week'24: Students' Union Holds Freshers Inter-Faculty Debate

By
Image
By  Adetunji Oluwafemi The Great Ife Students’ Union on Monday, 3rd November 2024, held its planned inter-faculty debate for freshmen. The debate is part of the events that have been prepared for Fresher’s Week 2024. The event experienced a slight delay, as the venue was moved from the 1000-seater to Oduduwa Hall by the order of the school management, which requested that the initial venue be vacated because the office of the Vice President, responsible for the event, failed to seek permission before using it. The event began at 12:35 PM. Faculties were paired and assigned topics: the Faculty of Administration and Science had the topic "Corrupt Democracies are Preferable to Dictatorships"; the Faculty of Agriculture and Dentistry debated on the topic "Subsidy is a Necessary Compromise of the Government, and Should be Implemented in Areas of Essential Public Domains"; the Faculty of Arts and Technology had the topic "Civil Disobedience is a Moral Wea...
Read more

Breaking Barriers: Exclusive Interview with the Only Female Bus Driver on OAU Campus

By
Image
By Esther Ademola The Icons Organization, in collaboration with Great Ife Network, recently conducted an exclusive interview with Mrs. Elugbaju, the sole female driver on the OAU campus. Standing out as the only woman among the Towngboro drivers, Mrs. Elugbaju has sparked curiosity about her motivation. During the interview, she shared insights into her experiences and shed light on her journey as a female driver in a male-dominated field. Question : Can you introduce yourself? Mrs Elugbaju : My name is Mrs Elugbaju. I am one of the driver of buses in the campus, I'm the only lady. Question : How did you become a bus driver especially in a University like Obafemi Awolowo University? Mrs Elugbaju:  I'm a civil servant. This is just a part time job for me. After office hour like 5:00pm, I do bring my bus and I will be loading from campus to gate and from gate to Campus like around 7:30pm-8:00pm then I will go back. READ ALSO: OAU Secures Two Gold Medals in Judo at FA...
Read more

SPECIAL REPORT: Inside UI and OAU Public Hostels

By
Image
By The Icons Organization and Indy Press  For Deborah, a 100-level student and resident of Obafemi Awolowo Hall of residence, University of Ibadan, staying in her hall of residence was a choice she made because she was in her first year of study. She believed this choice was the safest way to get familiar with the school and its environment. Posi, another student, on the other hand, resides in a school hostel due to proximity. “I stay in Obafemi Awolowo Hall of Residence because of its proximity to classes; the fact that it is cheaper, it is less stressful than house hunting, and much safer than staying outside school,” Posi explained.  Posi's reason for staying in Obafemi Awolowo Hall is the same as that of many students who find themselves in public hostels — it is often cheaper and closer to school. This goes to show just how important hostel accommodation is for students in any university, as it affects both their academics and overall wellbeing.  Unfortun...
Read more