Students of Ondo State Rufus Giwa Polytechnic in Owo, Ondo state this morning began a major protest against the rise in tuition fees at the institution. The state-owned polytechnic had jerked annual school fees from ₦21,300 for students in National Diploma in sciences to N58,300 ND and ₦53,800 to 73,000 and ₦78,500.
The management of the school also imposed additionally ₦20,000 on non-indigenes.
The new fee regime became effective shortly after Governor Olusegun Mimiko won its second term election in the state. However, majority of the impressed students students could not afford the fees and had engaged in dialogue with the school management until riots broke out today.
The students have taken over the busy Owo/Abuja expressway, locked up the offices of the rector, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun and also taken the school’s main gates, and driven around in Owo to draw attention of residents to their plight.
