The management of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, on Tuesday, announced an indefinite closure of the institution following a protest by the students over a recent hike in school fees.
The students mobilised in large numbers to the state secretariat on Tuesday to interrupt an interdenominational prayer meeting being held for the new state government.
They claimed to have mobilised and voted en masse for the new governor, Abiola Ajimobi, during the last governorship election so that he would help reduce the tuition fee allegedly raised indiscriminately by the administration of Adebayo Alao-Akala, the immediate past governor.
In a statement issued in Ibadan yesterday and signed by the registrar of the institution, Tosho Ayanwale, the school authorities attributed the closure to the alleged lawlessness displayed by the students during the said protest, adding that the public will be notified when a decision otherwise is made.
He informed that the closure affects the two satellite campuses of the institution in Eruwa and Shaki, The students there have also been directed to "proceed to their various homes until further notice."
The management called on parents and guardians "to call their wards to comply with the directive".
As early as 8am on Tuesday, the students marched in their hundreds on a peaceful protest to the main gate of the state secretariat.
The protest disrupted free flow of traffic. The police officer on guard, who later dispersed the students with teargas, had an hectic time bringing it under control.
Unacceptable increase
The protesters sang various songs to press home their appeal to the new government to cut down the fees.
One of them, identified as a faculty president in the institution, told reporters that the past administration increased fees to the point where HND II students now pay over N100,000 as tuition.
"The fresh HND I students are made to pay about N84, 000 while the (returning students) pay N47, 500. The hostel accommodation is N17, 500 and we hardly have electricity supply and water. There are no facilities in the hostels, yet the management is forcing us to pay. This is unacceptable to us," he said.
"We have paid 60 percent of the fees and they are compelling us to balance up within a week. We cannot agree with this. Governor Ajimobi had before his inauguration promised to remove 50 percent of the fees. We have paid even more than half of the fees and so we are calling on the governor to address the situation."
The protest, however, drew a lot of flak from many people across Ibadan, the state capital, on Tuesday, who said it was ill-timed.
They argue that the students should have given the governor some time since he only formally assumed office as the state governor and commenced work yesterday.
Source: Next
Closure again! How long are we going to ruminate in this closure of thing. When will Nigeria advance to the level obtainable in the developed nations. Studying in Nigeria always add X-year(s) to your duration of studies. I am just too tired of this!
Sometimes l reminisce over my past years, studying in Nigeria. Nigerians study under a harsh atmosphere and rigid educational structure, compared to what is obtainable in Western world. There is huge difference between education in Nigeria and in Western world.
Our leaders can slimline the differences, if they are patriotic, and strife for the future of the youth. Needless to say, they are not. Most of them studied or frequent Western countries. They see the standard of education and the structures that are put in place in Western countries, to make education worthy. But, they fail to implement what they experienced or see, into the Nigeria's educational sector. They pay lip service to education in Nigeria, and watch it deteriorate.
l hope President Jonathan would work out modalities to make education worthy in Nigeria.