The management of The Polytechnic, Ibadan has described the protest embarked upon by the students of the institution as unwarranted and politically-motivated.
The Registrar of the institution, Mrs Modupe Theresa Fawale, FNIM, stated this in a statement announcing the suspension of students’ unionism and postponement of the First Semester Examination of the institution, scheduled to start today.
The students of The Polytechnic, Ibadan had, in the early hours of today, embarked upon the protest against an alleged increment of tuition and accommodation fees.
They locked all the gates leading to the institution and disturbed vehicular movement as barricaded the road leading to the Oyo State Secretariat.
However, Mrs Fawale, in the statement, faulted the students as she stated that there was no such increment, adding that the Students’ Union body did not give any formal notice in respect of the alleged increment in fees.
The management of The Polytechnic, Ibadan disclosed that the examination has been postponed until further notice, while the Students’ Union is suspended indefinitely.
Describing the protest as ill-motivated and politically-inclined, the management noted that the Students’ Union body has no formal complaint concerning the examination slated to commence today.
It therefore declared that the protest by the students, up to the State Secretariat, is questionable.
“The Students’ Union breached the rule of decency by locking all the gates that lead to the institution and thereby causing unwarranted hardship to their colleagues, to the staff of the Institution.
“[They also caused hardship] to their host communities, to the neighbouring university of Ibadan, and to the general public at large, most especially those that have official transactions with The Polytechnic, Ibadan.
“It is on record that The Polytechnic, Ibadan students pay one of the lowest tution fees among their contemporaries in the south west.
“Payment of tuition has been made flexible and convenient as students pay 60 per cent of the tution fee during the First Semester and pay the remaining 40 percent during second semester.
“The institution has not increased tution in the last couple of years.
“Protesting on a day that they should be sober and commence their examination, which is a major academic activity leading to the award of their diploma is ill-advised, politically-motivated. It is therefore of no reasonable value to the students and indeed to the development of education.
“The management is reviewing the situation and will issue a statement on when the suspended examination will commenced.
“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,” Mrs Fawale stated in the statement.
