… blames SUG President
By Joseph Albert
The Management of Federal Polytechnic, Oko has said that the news story making the rounds on social and some mainstream media on alleged imposition of examination fee on students by the Management “is to say the least a disservice and injustice to the Polytechnic Management which has ensured that school fees paid by students are moderate and within reach”.
Reacting to the news story in a statement available to journalists, the PRO of the institution, Chijioke Ibeziako, explained that “The N5,000 examination fee in question is an old fee which was approved by the then Governing Council of the Polytechnic, and which students were informed about it as part of the cumulative fees approved for them to pay per session.
He explained that when the SUG President of the Polytechnic released a circular directing students not to pay the examination fee, the Management, in its characteristic open door policy, held series of interactions with the SUG official, leading to the parties signing agreement and memorandum of understanding for students to continue paying the examination fee.
The Management also assured the students officials that students can continue writing the exam while they pay the exam fee, according to the PRO.
He however, regretted that the student union President later reneged on the agreement and released a circular to students that first semester examination already scheduled for commencement will not hold as scheduled, and directed students to stay away from school.
The statement reads in parts:
“… in the early hours of the morning the examinations were scheduled to commence, he led some students to block the school gate, barring students who were coming to write the exams from entering the school premises.
This agitation against the exam fee is therefore surprising and clearly portrays the hand of fifth columnists who do not mean well for the Ag.Rector and the Management and are bent on sabotaging the system for their selfish and inordinate ambition. Nonetheless, the Ag.Rector in order to avoid any crisis directed against using any force to stop the illegal blockade thereby ensuring normalcy and calmness in the Institution.
The exam fee and other fees paid by students are legally approved as contained in the fee schedule issued to students upon registration and are in line with what is obtainable in other institutions. Interestingly from analysis, Federal Polytechnic Oko has a very moderate school fees regime and is in fact one of the Institutions with the least school fees.
The agitation against the examination fees by few misguided students is unfortunate, misleading, unnecessary, uncalled for and misplaced as the Ag.Rector since assumption of office has taken steps that enhance staff and students welfare, and has distinguished himself as one of the best staff/students friendly Chief Executive.
His strong sense of commitment and diligence has promptly resolved persistent challenges associated with exam materials, printing of students results and has achieved ease of doing business on campus”.
The Polytechnic Management, while imploring students not to allow themselves to be used by those who want to foment trouble in order to achieve ulterior motives, assured them that their interest will always be protected, event as it urge them to go and write the first semester examination as every student will be accommodated.
