Ondo students protest anti-education policies of the state government

STUDENTS from Ondo State tertiary institutions under the auspices of National Association of Ondo State Students (NAOSS) on Monday, protested against alleged anti-education policies of governor Rotimi Akeredolu administration in the state.

The students who trooped to the streets of Akure, Ondo state capital, as early as 8 am invaded the State Scholarship Board located at Oke Eda/Alagbaka area of the state capital, disrupting official activities at the office and hindering vehicular movement.

The aggrieved students condemned the abolition of free education in primary and secondary schools by the state government, introduction of WAEC and NECO fee, non-payment of bursary, and an alleged plan by the state government to increase tuition of the state-owned Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA) from forty thousand naira to two hundred thousand naira.

Armed with placards of various inscription such as: “Governor Akeredolu pay our Bursary, No school fee increment”, “Poor parents cannot afford huge tuition fee”, “Akeredolu: stop your anti-education policies” and “No payment of scholarship since you assumed office yet you are planning to increase tuition”, “Akeredolu is a product of Awolowo’s free education, what is our offence” amongst others.

Speaking to newsmen, the National President of NAOSS, Olanrewaju Akeredolu, said the state government has failed to pay the bursary and scholarship of the students from the state since the governor assumed office last year February.

The President of the students said all efforts by the leadership of the union to meet with the state governor to discuss their plight had failed.

According to Akeredolu, the association has made many efforts to get the attention of the governor through letters, consultations and pleas but all to no avail.

The students however issued a seven-day ultimatum to the state government to reverse all the anti-education policies introduced by the state government, while threatening to shut down the entire state.

“To worsen it all, they are planning to increase the school fees of tertiary institutions to N200,000. All these are becoming unbearable for the students.

“We are protesting the anti-students policies of this administration. This government is yet to pay our bursary and scholarship awards since it came on board more than a year ago.

“Last December, the same administration cancelled payment of WAEC examination for secondary school students. All these are becoming unbearable for the students,”

Reacting to the students protest, the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Yemi Olowolabi, dismissed insinuation that the present administration was engaging in anti-people education policies and said the state government would soon commence the payment of bursary and scholarship of students from the state.

He explained that funds that would be used to settle the student’s bursary and scholarship had already been earmarked in this year budget.

Olowolabi denied an increase in the tuition of the state-owned tertiary institutions but noted that the current school fees in the state-owned tertiary institutions were no longer sustainable but assured parents of the students that outrageous school fee will not be imposed on students as tuitions.

Source http://www.tribuneonlineng.com/ondo-students-protest-anti-education-policies-of-the-state-government/

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