OYSCATECH MANAGEMENT – STUDENTS ‘ SAGA: Nothing like miscellaneous fees —Management

Few months back, the Joint Action Committee of Tertiary Institutions in Oyo State (JAC) resumed a three months old Industrial action after reached an accord with the State Government on conflicting issues. The Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igboora being part of the JAC equally resumed giving the hope of timely completion of Academic calendar to Students and Parents of the Institution amidst salient problems facing the Institution ranging from inadequate finance, poor Infrastructure and delay in State government pronouncement of substantive management team after duly screening of potential Academic scholars that applied for the various offices for almost two years now. It will be recalled that it was widely reported then that the Ibarapa born Professor, Prof. Akinola Kehinde Akinlabi came first in the Rectorship ranking, but the Executive Governor of Oyo State, Governor Seyi Makinde has so far refused to pronounce him due to reasons known to the Governor as the Visitor to the Institution.

The first semester examination for the current 2021/2022 session which started on Monday 25th October, 2022 was reported destrupted by the Students of the Institution in a protest against additional fees tagged “Miscellaneous fees” asides the statutory fees which includes Faculty levy, Departmental levy, Matriculation gown etc. as prerequisite for writing an examination.

As result of this, on Tuesday, 26th October, the Institution’s management through a memo e-sign by the Ag. Registrar, Mr. P.K Oyediran Ref. OYSCATECH/GEN/R/002 postponed the ongoing examination until further notice.

To review the postponement of the examination, the highest Academic organ of the Institution, Board of Studies held a marathon meeting on Wednesday, 27th October, and mandated all Students to visit High Court of Justice and swear to oath of affidavit to henceforth be of good conduct with a copy expected to be submitted at the Academic affairs office with effect from Monday, 31st October. The directive was through a memo Ref. OYSCATECH/AA/STM/015 dated 27th October, 2022.

In the course of interaction of Asako News with some Parents and Students of the Institution, the directive of the College Management has however created panic and confusion to the duo on claims of risks of Students traveling down to High Court of Justice as High Courts within Ibarapa is currently not functioning due to claim of Insecurity by Judges of these Courts for more than a year now.

Some Parents and Students who claimed anonymity in their interaction with Asako news appeal to the College Management to review the decision on the following reasons:

i . Students who already paid the full fees will not be given fair treatment.
ii. Cost of the affidavit could be used for the payment of the controversial miscellaneous fees.
iii. Risks and cost of traveling to High Courts.
iv. Destruption of Academic Calendar having wasted 3months of JAC industrial Action.

Meanwhile, the Institution’s management in an interview with Asako News has cleared the air on these allegations, claiming that what the Students did on Tuesday 26th October was never a protest, but “destruction in examination”. Speaking through the Public Relation officer of the Institution, Mrs. Opeyemi Olawoore, the College Management maintained that as a Tertiary Institution, she has the mandate to train students so that they can be worthy in learning and character, therefore, the College does not exist for academic settings alone. She furthered that the process of requesting for oat or affidavit is not alien to tertiary institution alone it practice all over, it is done so that the student will be able to pledge to the law and regulations of the institution. The College Management claimed there is nothing like miscellaneous fees, that all fees that has given to the student have been clearly stated. The College Management frowned at the incidence of the Students’ protest of Tuesday, 26th October, claim it was not a protest at any point in time, but a destruction in examination.

Meanwhile, efforts to get the Oyo State Commissioner for Education, Special Assistant to Oyo State Governor on Students’ Affairs and the Student Union president of OYSCATECH as at the time of filling this report proved abortive due to network problem.

See the excerpts of the interview:

OYSCATECH PRO
Asako News: Good morning ma, this is Asako News.
PRO : Good morning

Asako News: It was reported that the College management mandated all students to proceed to High Court for Affidavit of good conduct as a result of their protest against miscellaneous fees as prerequisites for examination, how true?

PRO:
As a Tertiary institution we have the mandate to train our students so that they can be worthy in learning and character, so we’re not existing for academic settings alone, requesting for oat or affidavit is not alien to tertiary institution alone it practice all over, so that the student will be able to pledge to the law and regulations of the institution therefore there’s nothing like miscellaneous fees, all fees that has given to the student have been clearly stated and I want to believe they’re fair about the payment.
So there was not protest at any point in time, it was just a destruction in examination, you can verify

Asako News: Parents and Students are currently disturbed with this development due to the #3000 claimed affidavit payment and the risk of traveling down to High Court, what is the Management’s stand on this?

PRO:
Obviously, the school is still in session and all the academic activity according to academic calendar is ongoing so as soon as the student do the needful everything concern their examination will be sorted out.
The school is not collecting money from any student for affidavit.
Like I told you, requesting for affidavit is a usual practice you can verify from other institutions

Asako News: Did you think the State Governor will be in line with the management on this?

PRO:
Tertiary institutions are guided by regulations and as long as the institution is still working within the ambit of the established regulations I don’t see any cause for alarm

Asako News: We’re informed about the meeting held today with all the Students’ Union on campus, what is the outcome of the meeting?

PRO:
Our activities were not in secret, every of our information are in public domain so the outcome of the meeting will circulate the appropriate quarters