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Some students of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Monday, shut down the school in protest against the increased tuition fees by the management.
The angry students, who alleged extortion by the management through what they termed illegal fees, barricaded the institution’s main entrance as early as 6.30am.
The protesters disrupted the ongoing second-semester examination, as students coming for the exams met the gate under lock and key.
The students also prevented lecturers and other staff of the institution from gaining entrance into the school premises.
The aggrieved students, who sang anti-management songs, carried placards with inscriptions such as, ‘We no be rich kids, na why we come MAPOLY’, ‘#Say No To Unreasonable Increment Now!!!,’ ‘Say no to extortion,’ ‘Bring back our 60/40% what is new on the portal’, among others.
Speaking on behalf of the students, the Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Ogun State, Damilola Simeon, demanded the immediate reversal of all increased fees.
Simeon accused the Rector of the polytechnic, Dr Adeoye Odedeji, of milking the students through school fee increments and introduction of exorbitant charges.
He said, “Today, we have commenced actions to protest the mismanagement, corruption and inhumane policies in MAPOLY.
“We demand that a reversal should be made on all increased and newly introduced fees.
“We demand that the state government set up a panel of enquiry to investigate how funds going into the school are expended.
“Our offence as Nigerian students is that we want to be educated and the Dr Adeoye Odedeji-led management of MAPOLY is saying education is not for the poor.
“A few months ago in the last academic session, tuition fees for both ND and HND students were increased, including part-time students, whose figure is not accurately given.
“Without considering the economic conditions of parents and guardians, tuition fees were increased outrageously again for two consecutive sessions. This is the highest level of discomfort any management could think of putting the students through.”
However, the Director of the Public Relations Unit of the institution, Yemi Ajibola, in a statement, said the polytechnic charged the least tuition fees in the South-West.
He said, “The allegations levied against the management of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta by the NANS are baseless, sentimental and unsubstantiated.
“Similarly, admission application forms range from N2,000 to N7,500 only, depending on the category of application, either for National Diploma or Higher National Diploma programme while the acceptance fee remains N35,500 only.”
Source: Punch Newspaper.