AKWAPOLY students protest against fee hike

The Students of Akwa Ibom Polytechnic, Ikot Osurua, Ikot Ekpene, on Monday, protested against the nearly 100 per cent increment of fees by authorities of the school, just as they called for the removal of the rector, Dr. Israel Afia.

President of the Students’ Union Government’s (SUG), Kingsley Eyo, complained to newsmen that they were never consulted before the increment was effected.

He added the call for Afia’s removal was because students were not comfortable with his style of administration, a development they said is reflected in the institution of a new fee regime in this period of economic recession.

“The Pre-National Diploma (ND) students that were paying N37, 000 are now to pay N69, 200 and ND-1 that were paying 45, 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”, Eyo said.

The student leader, who also alleged that management had not been publishing their semester results regularly, added that the first semester results of ND had always been delayed to final semester of ND-2.

He also accused the registrar of being insensitive to the students’ plight, stressing that when the union approached him for dialogue; he retorted that education was not for the poor.

Eyo said the management had also hijacked the running of Mami Market and the park from the SUG’ control.
All efforts to speak with Dr. Afia proved abortive as he did not pick up his cell phone and never returned the calls.