The governing council of the Moshood Abiola polytechnic have partly acceded to their students demand as they slashed the rate of a newly imposed fee by fifty percent.
Recall that the latest imposition of the registration fee had drawn criticism from the student populace who had attempted to protest but were bullied by men of the police invited by the School management.
Following Ogunwatch’s story which exposed the imposition of the strange registration fee, the school management in a press statement signed by its spokesperson, Mr. Yemi Ajibola, have announced a 50 percent slash of the registration fee but remain mum on other contentious fees.
“The Governing Council of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic Abeokuta has approved reduction of registration fee payable by newly admitted students of the Institution by fifty percent,” the statement partly read.
What is registration fee?
This is a fee payable after a student has been offered admission; eligibility to proceed to pay acceptance fee and other fees would then follow that.
As at the time of filling this report, the registration fee has been reduced from twenty thousand Naira to ten thousand Naira.
Application Form, the NANS PRO Ogun axis told Ogunwatch, was “between 5,000 to 7,000 but now around 6000 for ND FT and 18,500 for ND PT. 18,500 for HND.”
The Students spokesperson further detailed the series of fee increment as he said “3,200 for Result verification (this used to be part of the regular form fee). Acceptance fee was 25,500 but now 35,500. Medical was 5,000 but now 12,000.”
Speaking on the registration fee, he said it was an illegal and previously non-existent.
However, the recent slash has again been met with wide condemnation by students who claim that the fee should not exist in the first place.
Speaking with Ogunwatch, a student who pleaded to be anonymous said “Firstly We already knew they will reduce it but we aren’t fighting for reduction… Registration fee is considered to be illegal and it’s a medium of extortion therefore we are clamoring for total removal . The Payment medium of 60/40 should be return. The medical fee was increased. The form fee was increased. The acceptance fee was increased. The school fee was increased. Definitely if this registration fee stand, later on the school fee will be increased again because the acceptance and reg fee is 55k + already with the same range with the school fee … if we can fight for the rest , then the Registration fee should be totally eradicated.”
Recall that Ogunwatch had earlier reported the management’s side when the school’s spokesperson told our correspondent how the state government have refused to fund the institution leading to non-payment of salaries of lecturers since “June/July”.