By Umar Bayo Abdulwahab
Ilorin
President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, has intervened in the tuition fees hike crisis rocking Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin.
Though the management of the institution had insisted that it did not hike the fees payable by all categories of students, concerned students had staged demonstrations in Ilorin, alleging outrageous increments in the tuition fees.
Contrary to the claims of the management, Saraki, in a statement, agreed with the students’ position, saying that information at his disposal showed an upward review of the tuition fees by the Polytechnic’s management.
Saraki, who appealed to the students and their parents to remain calm, assured them that the state government would revisit the issue.
The statement read in part: “Just this morning, 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.
“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.”
