The students of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic have lamented the sudden introduction of a N20,000 registration fee for prospective students of the polytechnic and have threatened to embark on a massive protest if the management fails to do something about it.
This decision came on the back of students on Monday, taking to Twitter to vent their anger and frustration on the unnecessary charges imposed by the management on the students, calling for the intervention of the state government over the issue.
The additional N20,000 tagged “registration fee”, according to the management is meant for the upgrade of the school portal.
This reason behind the introduction of the fee was contained in the press statement released by the Public Relations Officer of the polytechnic, Yemi Ajibola which reads,” Also, acceptance fee remains N35,500 only, while the newly introduced registration fee of N20,000 only is for all newly admitted applicants, who enjoy the launching of the full digital registration process on the institutions upgraded portal.”
The increase has since stirred outrage amongst students.
A fresh student, Kofoworola Adeola condemned the act as sheer extortion and an act of inconvenience.
She said, “How can they ask us to pay an additional N20,000 when we are to pay N35,500 for the acceptance fee. This is sheer wickedness and I see it as extortion. I am still struggling to get my school fees and my acceptance fee ready, and they are telling me to pay N20,000 for an upgrade again, what advantage will an upgrade bring to me? Will it bring food to my table or put money in my pocket? the upgrade should be the concern and problem of the polytechnic and not the students, instead of using the students to pay for that.”
Similarly, Omowunmi Adeoye, a returning student of the polytechnic narrated how she has been struggling to raise money herself to come back for the Higher National Diploma and the polytechnic is now seeming to make life miserable for her.
“Ever since I finished my ND program, my parents had told me that they do not have the means to sponsor my HND program and I had to engage in menial jobs to raise money for the form. Now, they expect me to pay another N20,000. That’s bad.” She lamented
Peter, a student of the Pharmaceuticals Technology Department, bemoaned how the management has succeeded in increasing all fees without being considerate of the plight of its students.
“The school is frustrating. Initially, it was an increase in medical bills, to an increase in school fees, miscellaneous fees, and now, registration fees. Very unfortunate and I just hope they won’t kill us with the way things are going, people will just drop out of school due to lack of finance”. He said.
Meanwhile, a group of students identified as ‘concerned students’, and the National Association of Nigeria Students, NANS, have reacted to the issue, hinting at staging a protest on Monday if the management refused to give in to their demands
This was contained in a press statement released by the NANS president, Comrade Damilola Simeon Kehinde.
It reads, “We ask our Comrades at the National level, Zonal level, and State level to be alert and mobilize massively as we fight against this injustice on Monday, October 17th, 2022. This is our last resort as the management is hell-bent on carrying on their unlawful enterprise.”
