Protest: Ibadan Poly suspends Students’ Union, postpones exams

Following the student-led protest, the administration of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Oyo State, suspended the students’ union and postponed the first-semester examination scheduled to start today, Monday, January 9, 2023.

On Monday, the students protested the increase in the hostel refusal fee.

The examination had been put off until further notice, according to a statement from the school signed by the registrar, Mrs. Modupe Fawale, and the Students’ Union had been put on indefinite leave.

The Management characterised the demonstration as politically motivated and ill-intentioned and asserted that the students’ union body had not filed a formal complaint with the Management regarding the examination that was set to start today.

The Management further noted that the students’ Union breached the rule of decency by locking all the gates that lead to the Institution and thereby causing unwarranted hardship to their Colleagues, to the Staff of the Institution, to their host communities, to the neighbouring university of Ibadan, and to the general public at large, most especially those that have official transactions with The Polytechnic Ibadan.

The statement read in part, “It is on record that The Polytechnic, Ibadan students pay one of the lowest tuition fees among their contemporaries in the South-West. Payment of tuition has been made flexible and convenient as students pay 60 per cent of the tuition fee during the first semester and pay the remaining 40 per cent during second semester. The Institution has not increased tuition in the last couple of years.

“Protesting on a day that they should be sober and commence their examination which is a major academic activities leading to the award of their diploma is ill advised, politically motivated and therefore of no reasonable value to the students and indeed to the development of education.

“The Management is reviewing the situation and will issue a statement on when the suspended examination will commence. We appeal to the students to return to class and prepare for their examination. We also appeal to the parents and guardians to call their wards to order.”