Students of various universities and polytechnics in Imo State have matched on the streets of Owerri, the state capital, protesting what they referred to as a ‘hike in school fees and poor education’.
The students displayed several placards with different inscriptions such as, ‘Stop the hike in our school fees,’ ‘We need a conducive learning environment,’ ‘Government should equip our schools with modern facilities,’ ‘We are suffering too much to pay our fees,’ ‘We are unduly extorted through handouts and textbooks’, ‘Students are dropping every day due to fee increment’ among other exhibitions.
The students made up of those from Imo State University (IMSU), the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), Alvan Ikoku University of Education (AIUE), Federal Polytechnic Nekede and Imo State University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Umuagwo took to the major streets of Owerri and the demonstration climaxed at the Imo State Government House on Thursday morning.
Speaking during the protest rally, the Vice President of the National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS), Aheneku Valentine Nzubechi, lamented over the high cost of living, accommodation, and school fees occasioned by the prevailing economic crisis, calling on the government of Imo state to come to their rescue by mediating for them in their various institutions.
He said, “We are on this peaceful protest to register our grievances on the high cost of living in the state nay, the country.
This is a joint gathering of IMSU, FUTO, ALVAN, POLYNEK and IMSUAES.
“We have come to let the Imo government know about the level of suffering we have been subjected to by our various schools.
“We have come to say no to the hike in our school fees.
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Imo students are paying through their noses to be in school yet we are being heavily extorted through handouts and textbooks by our lecturers.
The current economic situation too has worsened it all.
“Government and our schools should provide us with a conducive learning environment, equip our school medical centers by providing functional medical equipment.
The government should save our future by ensuring equality and qualitative education for Imo students.
Education is our right.
And our voices must be heard.”
The students further urged the government to make and effectively implement good education and people-oriented policies to cushion the effects of hunger and poverty in the system.