Date: 2017-10-26

Following the increment in school fees of students of Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) has issued a-seven day ultimatum to the institution's management to reverse the fees, failure of which there will be a massive peaceful protest.

Under the new fee regime released by the institution for the 2017/18 academic session, ND I full-time students, who are indigenes of Kwara are to pay N62, 700 each as against the N52, 500 that was charged last session.

For non-indigenes ND I students, are to pay N84, 200 instead of the N72, 500 charged for the 2016/17 session. Additionally, the new intake are also expected to part with N5,000 as acceptance fees for indigenes and N7, 500 for non-indigenes.

In a press release on Tuesday, the students' body expressed their displeasure over the tuition increment and described it as "a ploy to cheat on struggling students by some opportunists at the helm of affairs."

The release was signed by NAPS National President, Comrade Enneji Mohammed and its Public Relations Officer, Comrade Ijaduoye Olasunkanmi Adetoye. NAPS appealed to the state Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, who is an alumnus of the polytechnic to intervene and assist the students by reversing the newly approved school fees, just as it also instructed the students not pay any fees until the matter is resolved.

"The incumbent governor of Kwara State: His Excellency, Abdulfattah Ahmed is an alumnus of the school and he was not heavy- burdened by exorbitant fees, same with many others. We appeal to him to intervene and help the students especially in this time of economic hardship.

"We implore the state government, to as a matter of urgency ensure that we return to the status quo ante to avoid the confrontation of the organisation.

"We also wish to make the Rector of the institution Alhaji Moshood Elelu, aware of our displeasure at his administration over the increments under his watch. We hope like a father, he will heed our call." The students' body also bemoaned the absence of a substantive Students' Union in the institution and called on the management to immediately set the motion for the conduct of a fresh students' union election devoid of undue influence.

NAPS urged the students of the school to remain calm and should express their grievances in a manner peaceful manner.

"For the sake of peace we urge students to keep calm and be rational in showing their grievance as we are committed to finding solutions on the dialogue table, but if they refuse to adhere to our demands, we are ever ready for confrontation. We hope that last resort will be unnecessary," the students' leaders warned.

Meanwhile, efforts to get the Director of Information of the polytechnic, Alhaji Moshood Amuda to speak on the issue proved abortive as calls put through his mobile phone were not attended to and text message sent to him was yet to be replied as at the time of filing this report.

Recalled that Amuda when contacted at the weekend on the increment, said, "The school officially resumes tomorrow (Monday) and until it is opened, such report remains a rumour. "How are you sure the portal where such information emanated from is that of the school," he had queried.