The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has ordered the authorities of the Kwara State Polytechnic to stop the current contentious school fees increment.
He disagreed with the authorities of the Institution that there had not been increment of school fees on the institution.
There had been sustained claim and agitation against fee increment by the students of the institution.
Saraki in a statement on Monday through the Kwara State Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Sulyman Buhari stated that Kwarapoly authorities had increased its fees contrary to its claim.
Saraki said, “Students from my constituency sent me the details of the school fees that the Registrar of the Kwara State Polytechnic released for the 2017/2018 academic session through Whatsapp.
“After reviewing it, I found out that there has been a deliberate attempt to confuse and mislead the state government and the general public.
“It is obvious that a second-year student in 2017/18 is now expected to pay N20,000 more than second-year students paid in the 2016/17 session. This is contrary to the claim contained in the statement released by the institution just last week.”
He added, “With the present economic situation, this increment is unacceptable. I stand by my earlier position that education must be affordable for every willing citizen because it is the bedrock of development. Any increase in the school fees must be stopped now.
“I appeal to all concerned students and their families to remain calm. I am sure that the government will revisit this issue.”
The management of the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin had insisted that it had not increased school fees for the 2017/2018 academic session.
The institution’s Rector, Alhaji Mas’ud Elelu had disclosed that for the 2016/2017 academic session ND I indigenous students paid N52,500 while non-indigenes paid N72,500.
He said, “For the 2017/2018 academic session, ND II, indigenous students are to pay N52,000 while non-indigenes are to pay N7200.
“For HND I 2016/2017 academic session, indigenous students paid N59,000 while non-indigenes paid N76,000. For the 2017/2018 academic session, HND 2 indigenous students are to pay N58,500 while non-indigenes are expected to pay N75,500.
“No fee has been increased and that the management of the institution has not received approval for such.”
The Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed had in the statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Dr. Muyideen Akorede, directed that the institution maintained the status quo regarding its fees to ensure that students of all backgrounds in the state retained access to quality higher education as provided by the institution.
