By our Reporter
Students of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta have boycotted the ongoing 2nd Semester examination to protest increment in fees.
The students, who trooped in their large numbers outside their campus gate as early as 6:00 am were seen in their numbers chanting various songs and holding placards to express their grievances, with men of the Nigeria Police Force also present at the scene to stem the tide.
The state wing of the National Association of Nigerian Students are the one backing the students in the protest as the Student Union Government of the School are not involved. The students alleged that the increment in fees for both the fresh and returning students of the institution wasn’t in good faith while, the management of MAPOLY said the increment only affected the fresh students.
In what appears to be the bone of contention is the increment in fees which are as follows: Acceptance Fee (science students) N25,500 increased to N35,500;
ND N55,000 and HND N51,000 increased to N62,000 and N58,000 respectively; Fresh students (non-science students) ND N51,000 and HND N46,000 increased to N58,000 and N53,000 respectively; Returning students (science) N46,000 for both ND and HND increased to N53,000; Returning students (non-science) N41,000 for both ND and HND increased to N48,000.
According to Dean of the Division of Students Affairs, Dr Segun Aninkan, whi reacted said that only the potential fresh students were affected.
“Nobody has increased the tuition or any fee for the students. What is added is for potential students, that we don’t even know yet. But some people believe that because they have done their ND and they’re coming back for HND, they should hold the polytechnic down,” said Aninkan.
“What was added was N20,000 registration fee for fresh students which we’re yet to get.
“And because of agitations here and there, it has been slashed to N10,000 naira. Yesterday (Sunday), for more than five hours, we were having meeting. Our students (the Students’ Union Government) are not involved (in the protest), but some people under the guise of NANS believe they must truncate the examinations.
“The money does not affect the current students,” Dr Aninkan added. He noted that even if NANS wanted to solidarise with the affected potential students, “it’s still by the way of plea.”
He added that the N35,500 allegedly increased had been like that for a while and was not increased.