By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The management of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko in Anambra State has denied hiking examination fees paid by students of the institution.

It described the purveyors of what it termed “malicious story” by enemies who don’t mean well for the institution.

In a statement by the Public Relations Officer of the institution, Mr. Chijioke Ibeziako, explained that the N5,000 examination fee which the students claimed was imposed on them was an old fee that was approved by the then Governing Council of the Polytechnic.

According to him, the present management of the institution has ensured that school fees paid by the students are moderate and within the reach of the students.

He stressed that the examination fee is part of the cumulative fees that were approved for payment by students per session, saying, "Federal Polytechnic Oko is not the only tertiary institution that pay examination fee.

“In many institutions, this fee is higher than that of Federal Polytechnic, Oko."

Ibeziakor wondered why the Students Union Government of the institution reneged on the agreement the school management reached with the students body.

He added: “Following a circular released by the SUG President to the students not to pay the examination fee, the Management in its characteristic open door policy held series of interactions with the SUG officials.

“As a result, agreement was reached and memorandum of understanding signed by the student union president and Management in the presence of NANS officials for students to continue paying the examination fee.

“Management also assured the students officials that students can continue writing the exam while they pay the examination fee but to the chagrin of the Management, the student union president later reneged on this agreement and released a circular to students that first semester examination already scheduled for commencement will not hold as scheduled and directed students to stay away from school.

“In fact, in the early hours of the morning the examinations were scheduled to commence, he led some students to block the school gate, forbidding students who were coming to write the exams from entering the school premises.

“This agitation against the examination fee is therefore surprising and clearly portrays the hand of the fifth columnists who do not mean well for the Ag. Rector, Dr. Uche Onyegbu and the entire management and they are bent on sabotaging the system for their selfish and inordinate ambition.

“Nonetheless, the Ag. Rector in order to avoid any crisis directed against using any force to stop the illegal blockade thereby ensuring normalcy and calmness in the Institution.

While explaining that the examination fee and other fees paid by students are legally approved as contained in the fee schedule issued to students upon registration and are in line with what is obtainable in other institutions, the institution’s image maker noted that “Federal Polytechnic Oko has a very moderate school fees regime and is also one of the institutions with the least school fees.”

He described the agitation against the examination fees by few misguided students as unfortunate, uncalled for, misleading, unnecessary, and misplaced, saying that the Ag. Rector since assumption of office has taken steps that enhance staff and students welfare, and has distinguished himself as one of the best staff/students friendly chief executive.

“His strong sense of commitment and diligence has promptly resolved persistent challenges associated with exam materials, printing of students results and has achieved ease of doing business on campus,” he said.

"The institution’s management therefore ,implores students not to allow themselves to be used by those who want to foment trouble in order to achieve their ulterior motives, assuring the students that their interest will always be protected while urging them to go and write the first semester examination as every student will be accommodated."

Recall that some students of the institution had some days back protested hike in examination fees, saying that the school management is instructing a lot of levies on the students and called for the exam fees to be shelved.

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