Students of The Polytechnic, Ibadan in Oyo State on Monday protested the hike in hostel refusal fee by the management of the institution.
The students, in their hundreds, blocked the school gate and the ever-busy Sango-Poly junction, thereby causing gridlock before heading to the State Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan. All the roads within the Secretariat have also been blocked.
The hostel refusal fee was initially N5,000 before the management increased it to N15,000.
One of the protesters, Abiodun, other name withheld, said, “We normally pay N30,000 for accommodation every session but for those who don’t want to stay in the hostel, they pay N5,000 refusal fee. But the management just woke up and said that it has increased the refusal fee from N5,000 to N15,000.”
“The management also said the hostel fee is compulsory now for all the students, including those who are not staying in the campus (off campus),” she explained.
They also said they were tired with the continued use of a consultant in running the affairs of the institution.
The protesters were chanting anti-government songs, saying the activities of the consultant had slowed down the growth of the institution.
Meanwhile, the Management of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Oyo State, has suspended the Students’ Union of the institution and postponed the first-semester examination meant to commence today, Monday, January 9, 2023, following the protest embarked upon by the students.
A statement from the institution signed by the Registrar, Mrs Modupe Fawale, disclosed that the examination had been postponed until further notice and the Students’ Union suspended indefinitely.
Describing the protest as ill-motivated and politically inclined, the Management claimed the students’ union body had not made a formal complaint to the Management concerning the examination slated to commence today.
“The Management is reviewing the situation and will issue a statement on when the suspended examination will commence. We appeal to the students to return to class and prepare for their examination. We also appeal to the parents and guardians to call their wards to order.”
Punch/Olaolu Fawole
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