The management of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta, Ogun State, has declared a one-week suspension of academic activities. This decision follows the student-led protest earlier on Monday, primarily against the tuition fee increase.
The institution’s Registrar, Olubunmi Elewodalu, officially announced this development in a statement sent to the media.
Elewodalu explained that the temporary academic hiatus is necessary to address the ongoing circumstances arising from the student protests.
According to the Registrar, “The suspension of academic activities will be effective from Monday, 9th October to Friday, 13th October 2023. During this period, all students are directed to refrain from visiting the campus until further notice.”
Earlier in the day, students had assembled at the campus gate, protesting the elevated acceptance fees for newly admitted students and other concerns. The demonstration featured placards with inscriptions such as #No To Increment of Tuition Fee, #Rector Must Go, #Release our Result ASAP, and others.
Police officers were also present at the scene of the protest.
Among the grievances expressed by the students were delays in the release of exam results, a shortage of staff, and the acceptance fee hike for new students.
The Students Union President, Babatunde Adelola, revealed that the management had cited inadequate subsidies from the state government as the reason behind the acceptance fee increase, raising it from N35,000 to N50,500 for fresh students. Adelola also lamented the adverse impact of result delays on students’ academic performance.
“We have many reasons to protest. Recently, the school said they are not getting funding from the state government and they need to generate funds internally which was why they increased the acceptance fee from N35,000 to N50,500.
“Aside from the hike in fee, the delay in the release of our result is affecting students. For instance, those who graduated in the last session are yet to be mobilized for service.
“I am in HND 2 second semester and I am yet to see the result of the exams I did in HND 1 second semester. This is affecting students because they do not know their academic standing and how well to prepare for the next exams.”
Adelola noted that all efforts made by the student body to dialogue with the polytechnic’s Rector, Adeoye Odedeji, have proved abortive due to his unavailability.
He, however, demanded immediate reversal of the fee and urgent release of outstanding results.
“We requested to meet the Rector through the DSA but we were told that he is not available. They gave us another appointment which they did not honour. Last Monday when the non-academic staff decided to protest, they asked us to meet again but it also failed.
“We are demanding immediate reversal of the acceptance fee back to status-quo and urgent release of outstanding results,” he concluded.
Another student of the institution, Olamide Ojelade, expressed fear that the increase in the acceptance fee can also lead to an increase in school fees if tolerated.
Ojelade declared, “The acceptance used to be N25,500 before it was increased to N35,000 and now it has been increased to N50,500. Before they increase school fees again, that is why we are protesting.”
The Public Relations Officer of the institution, “Yemi Ajibola, said that the students did not inform the school of their grievances which makes it difficult for such grievances to be addressed.
“The management is not aware of their grievances because they did not inform us of any reason why they are protesting. The management needs to be informed of what their grievances are for the management to be able to sit and deliberate on them. If they channel their grievances appropriately, it will be attended to,” Ajibola concluded.
