Students Of Ibadan Poly Threaten Protest Over Extortion, Mass Failure
Afimag.com
Some students of Polytechnic of Ibadan, Oyo State have cried out over the extortion by some lecturers and mass failures in their examinations.
The students of Urban and Regional Planning Department through their association have asked the Polytechnic Authorities to check the excesses of some of their lecturers or risk a protest.
In a petition entitled, “Lamentations of the Urban and Regional Planning Students”, the students attribute their harsh learning conditions in the department and the extra academic years for students to the mass failure.
The petition reads, “It is with a heavy heart that we write to bring to your notice the prevailing stress and pains we are going through in our department. We are quite aware of the essence of education which is to teach, train and learn so as to improve knowledge and develop skills, towards the reality of life.”
“This is a natural process which identifies, harnesses and unfolds potential and abilities and capacities. But wherever there is naturalness, there is little or no stress, only simplicity and happiness abound – simple understanding of the course studied and the joy that inevitably flow along, inspiring and strengthening the students as they strive towards the perfection of this course.”
“But with us, things are absolutely different. The natural joy from learning has turned into abject torment. Only despair and regret fill our hearts. This is as a result of the following:”
“One, our semester designs are quite tedious and unending. Extortion of students on semester designs; too many expenses for designs; engaging students in outrageous landscape planning projects.”
The petitioners further stated that mass failure in courses like the Urban Design, Urban Management, Master Plan and Urban Renewal every year has become a tradition in the department.
“As a result of the aforementioned issues, some students have decided to drop out, even in the final year and there is a drastic decrease in the number of incoming students every year. It is in this grievance that we write to call for your intervention lest we hold a protest,” they added.