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Sir: I was disappointed after reading the circular issued by the management of Kaduna Polytechnic, ordering students to vacate their hostels on or before April 25, 2016. According to the management, the order becomes necessary because they want to use students’ hostels for accommodation of delegates to Nigerian Polytechnics Senior Staff Games (NIPSSGA).
Meanwhile, the time given for the students to vacate the hostels was very short and at the same time, some of the students were still writing their semester’s examinations. The management could not remember that some students are from outside states and would not be able to meet the dateline, making them confused, stranded and restless.
This action, which has caused untold hardship and pains for most of the students who do not reside within the state and others who do not have the financial means to pack out their belongings as instructed, shouldn’t have been taken in the first place. Even with much appeal from members of the Students’ Union Government, the school authorities could not reverse their decision until when the issue was about turning into protest, the students were given just two floors out of the eight halls in the female hostel to pack in for the time being until the games are over.
This action by the school authorities is very unfair. Notwithstanding, that the school management ordered the students not to relocate with their mattresses given to them after paying for them is another unfair treatment upon the students. The insufficient rooms given to students were without mattresses, and that has clearly shown that the management wants students to sleep on the floor like animals.
The management’s action is better imagined. The fact that the students are under the control of the school’s management does not mean that they (students) should be treated anyhow with even threats of victimising them if they attempt to express anger.
Ifeoma Nmeregini,
Abuja, FCT
