Akwa Ibom Poly Students set to protest over hike in school fees
The Students of Akwa Ibom Polytechnic on Monday protested against the 100 per cent increment of fees by the school’s authority. The Students Union Government’s (SUG), President, Kingsley Eyo, told newsmen at Ikot Osurua in Ikot Ekpene on Monday that the students were not notified before the increment.
He added that the students were not comfortable with the Rector of the institution Dr. Israel Afia’s style of administration, demanding his removal by the State Government. He added that students wondered why the school’s management would chose to bring new fees regime in this period of economic recession.
“The Pre-ND students that were paying N37, 000 are now to pay N69, 200, while ND-1 that pay N45, 000 are now to pay N76, 200. ND-2 students are now to pay N65, 500 as against N38, 000; HND-1 will have to pay N85, 700 as against N47, 500. “HND-2 students are now to pay N82, 700 as against N40, 700 that they were paying before”, he revealed.
The students also complained that management had not been publishing their semester results regularly. The registrar was further accused by the president of the student union government of being insensitive to the students’ plight.
Eyo said when the union approached him for dialogue; he retorted that education was not for the poor. Eyo threatened that the students would go on violent riot if the school authority refused to reduce the school fees.
He added that the management had also hijacked the running of Mami Market from SUG control. “Even the park, there are some buses that are operating within the school campus, they hijacked the running of the park from us”, he said.
Rector of the polytechnic, Dr. Israel Afia said in a text message that he was in a meeting and would not speak to the press as at when contacted at press time.
