Imo state Poly students protest N20, 000 acceptance fee

There was reported protest at the Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo, Ohaji, with students expressing anger over alleged collection of N20,000 acceptance fee and other levies by the management.

Tension grew at the main campus of the polytechnic when the protesting students confronted the Rector, Rev. Fr. Wence Madu, over the payments.

The Rector, who reportedly escaped from the campus to avoid attack, was said to have been confronted by the students to explain the payment of N20, 000 as acceptance fee and another N5, 000 fee for those that gained admission into the school without taking the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

According to the protesting students, the declaration of total free education in the state implies that no Imo indigene will pay school fees but that is not what obtains in IMOPOLY.

Our correspondent, who was in the school on Thursday, reported that the Rector was booed and interrupted by the students when he attempted to deny knowledge of the levies.

Fr. Madu’s claim that he had no knowledge of the payments angered the students, who queried the quality of the Rector’s leadership if he had no knowledge of fees being collected from his students.

Madu was said to have thereafter escaped from the school.

Attempts by our correspondent to speak to the Rector proved abortive as his phones remained unanswered while other personnel of the school said they were not authorised to speak on the matter.