Student Protest in Ondo State

Students of the Ondo State University of Science and Technology (OSUSTECH), Okitipupa, on Monday protested the outrageous increment in their tuition fee by the management.

The students who paralyzed academic and administrative activities on the institution’s campus blocked all access road leading to the gate of the campus,
The aggrieved students also berated the embattled governor of the State, Olusegun Mimiko led government for neglecting the school, adding that he had commercialized tertiary education in the State.
It was gathered by SaharaReporters correspondent that the students of the institution paid N120, 000.00 as for non-indigene and N100, 000.00 as for indigene per session.
In hundreds, the students besieged the administrative office of the institution and chanted solidarity songs for several hours carrying placards.
They lampooned the management of the school for being a stooge to the every orders of the State government on happenings in the campus.
“My brother, this is glorify secondary school, not university any longer. Our management can’t even talk on our behalf. The Governor and his commissioner decides what comes in and out of here”, a student had said out of anger.
The protestors also hurled abuses and threw sachet of pure waters at the management staff of the institution, who initially made attempt to pacify them not to result into violence.
The Vice-chancellor of the university, Prof. Tolu Odugbemi was repeatedly booed, while the angry students also made his caricature as a sign of mockery.
Even the Registrar of the institution, Prof. Wole Ekundayo was not spared as the protesting students smashed a section of his Toyota Corolla vehicle out of anger.
Many of the students who spoke to SaharaReporters lamented over the increment in their tuition fee and noted that there was no justification for the outrageous increment, as they were not benefitting anything from money being paid.
“Mimiko government is just robbing our parents of unjustifiable money. We can’t boast of any adequate educational facility or equipment in this school. Imagine, a science school for that matter. They have neglected us and we are paying much more than what they are offering us in terms of teaching and practical training”, one the protestors who crafted anonymity told our correspondent.
The students also described how they have been receiving lectures under a nearly collapsed and dilapidated building which is not conducive for learning.
“None of the buildings are conducive for learning. They are dilapidating already, while the walls are aching. We are learning under a very hardship condition, and the management is instructing us again to pay heavy fee. It can’t work and stand here in Okitipupa.
“All they know how to do is tasking us for money in every single thing on the campus. This present administration led by Mimiko is just satanic to the people of this area in terms of education.  He neglected us and really put blind eyes to our plight.
“We have made several effort and even written a letter through the local government and to the ministry of education, even to the Governor but all we get is no response. This is very unfair for an administration who promised to make education from all level in the state a priority “, they said.
They students also decried over lack of hostels, internet facilities, bad roads, electricity supply and social amenities on the campus in a conducive environment.
SaharaReporters gathered that some members of the National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) and National Association of Ondo State Students (NAOS), had joined in solidarity with the protest.
The leaders of the association condemned the State government and advised that a drastic measure be put in place to quickly address the challenges facing the school including the bad roads that led to the campus.
All calls and text messages placed to the phones of the institution’s Vice Chancellor as of 8:30 pm were not returned.