By: Gbolagade Sunday & Túndé Jr
Sequel to Press Council publication on Tuesday, October 13th, 2020 following the meeting between the students’ leaders and the school management after the two-day protest that sealed off The Polytechnic, Ibadan from starting exams and the day-to-day activities. This meeting was, of course, chaired by the Rector of the school, Professor Kazeem Adebiyi; for the students, Comrade Fadare Blessing led the union in other to agitate better conditions for the students.
In the round table meeting with the management staffs and Students’ Leaders, the following were the agreements:
The payment of Internet and Insurance was agreed to be scrapped after years of agitation from preceeding students’ leaders. While those that have paid will be refunded. Thereafter, the first semester 2019/2020 examination is hereby postponed till November 2nd 2020. Also, issues about laboratory Coat, Removal of Anti- cultism payment as prerequisite for registration, pending results, course registration, SIWES returning Students and other issues were vividly considered.
Subsequently, the SUG PRO, Akinpelu Hammed shared to the table the requests of the students that led to the protest. Amongst these are those listed above (Also, below is a picture of the formal requests).
This was followed by a three hours long deliberation between the extended management and students leaders. It was during this that the Rector conceded to the removal of the much controversial insurance & internet fee, this came after a diplomatic plea from Comrades who were present at the meeting.
Furthermore, the management denied all connection to the anti-cultism text book and called for it’s removal. However, they reiterated on the common confusion amongst students who demand/request for the school fees breakdown. The Deputy Rector explained that the school fees comprises of all significant payments and the tuition is a single payment that has no breakdown. Moreso,The portal’s defieciency that has become the Devil’s advocate was also trashed with different suggestions on how to make things easier for the CIDM, the management assured a large majority of the problem would be resolved before the new date for examination resumption (now proposed November 2nd).
Another topic that was resolved was that of the ND 2 students who were on SIWES had not resumed before the lockdown and unable to attend classes. Prior, they were poised to participate in the examination but it has now been agreed that the affected students will get weeks worth of classes before resuming examinations. The management also revealed that the HND entrance form into the Polytechnic, Ibadan would be extended till January so students with awaiting results could have their results ready before the said closure.
After the three-hour-long meeting, it was a thing of victory to the Students’ leaders .
The students populace now await the public Press release from the Students’ Union to give a statement on their victory and deeper information of what was discussed thereafter.
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When are returning siwes student to resume isn’t still on d 26th
Some of us were actually prepared for the exams. Some of us don’t want to waste any more time than we already have this year, some of us are willing to do the work. A protest on examination day is inconsiderate if you ask me, another week is fine but please don’t push it to two weeks.