• Management says protest politically-motivated
• Lifts ban on students’ union, postpones examinations
Students of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Oyo State, yesterday, protested hike in hostel refusal fees introduced by management of the institution.
The students, in their hundreds, blocked the school gate and the ever-busy Sango-Poly junction.
The blockade by the students also caused a gridlock before they headed to the State Secretariat, Agodi in Ibadan.
The Guardian gathered that the hostel refusal fee was initially N5,000 before the management jacked it up to N15,000.
The students lamented the use of consultant in running the affairs of the school, adding that the activity of the consultant has slowed down growth of the institution.
“We normally pay N30,000 for accommodation every session but for those who don’t want to stay in the hostel, they pay a N5,000 refusal fee. The management just said that it had increased the refusal fee from N5,000 to N15,000.
“The management also said the hostel fee is now compulsory for all the students, including those who are not staying on the campus (off campus),” one of the students, Abiodun, said.
MEANWHILE, the management of the school has rescinded its decision to ban the students’ union executives.
A statement signed by the Registrar, Mrs. Modupe Theresa Fawale, stated that the reversal of the decision was based on interventions to allow for further consultations.
“The first semester examination scheduled to commence today however remained postponed. A new date for the commencement of the examination will be announced to the students through appropriate channels,” the statement stated.
HOWEVER, Oyo State government promised to address all issues that triggered the protest.
The state’s Commissioner for Education, Abdulramon Abdulraheem, who gave the assurance on behalf of the governor, urged the students’ leaders to maintain tranquility and legality.
