Lecturers At Kogi Polytechnic Charge For 'handouts'

Education was declared a basic right of an individual by the United Nations years ago, and while others around the world took this as a challenge, the Nigerian state is still struggling to make that a reality even for 50% of its population. That notwithstanding, coupled with the defiant nature of the people against what might seem to bring them down, many toil day and night defiling the course of nature in the process just to get quality education which is almost a taboo in this part of the world.
This was what prompted students from various part of the country in a quest for quality education to find themselves trooping in through the front gate of the Kogi state polytechnic, Lokoja. One need not explain the level of poverty and neglect the Nigerian populace struggle with, it’s so ridiculous that paying the school fees of wards is celebrated as a great feat in some families. After all the fights and strides to gain admission, and funding the very expensive process, some wicked individuals have sworn to even make that process more tedious by adding to the long list of bills to pay in the guise of providing study materials otherwise known as “hand outs” to students at exorbitant rates.

The students of the Kogi state polytechnic, Lokoja will put up with all the below par treatment from the host community, the brutality of hooligans, the deplorable state of infrastructures etc but won’t be subjected to a 21st century kind of slavery by selfish, greedy and heartless lecturers who instead of effectively managing the minimal resources for the gain of all will engage in the shameless act of demanding extra fare from students and parents trying to earn a decent future for themselves. Investigations reveal that lecturers charge up to 2000naira for some few paged note in a country where the average man live on below $1 per day. It’s quite unfortunate that the same lecturers who would threaten fire and brim stone if their pay delays for a day engage in this kind of gruesome act, the same set of people who will criticize every move of government and label political office holders corrupt are here making life unbearable for young Nigerians who we call the leaders of tomorrow.

Against this backdrop, I’m saying it’s time to rise, it’s time to stand up for what’s right, it’s time to tell these modern day robbers to their face to stop this insanity before it gets out of hand. It’s time for the authorities to keep this kind of attitude in check, encourage equity and fairness and punish offenders to keep others out. Nobody will accept double taxation from government, students shouldn’t suffer same. Add a voice to this campaign; I’m sure there are other institutions that are experiencing this too. Japheth J. Omojuwa said “the quest for change is not a switch, it’s a marathon” let the race begin!