Gov. Ahmed directs Kwara Polytechnic to reduce tuition fees

Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara has directed the management of the state’s polytechnic, Ilorin to reduce tuition fees payable for the 2017/2018 academic session.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Communications, Muyideen Akorede, announced this in a statement on Thursday in Ilorin.

Mr. Akorede said the newly-approved tuition fees were lower than the 2016/2017 fees.

He explained that the governor’s approval was in line with the recommendations of the committee set up to conduct an investigation into the tuition fees of the polytechnic.

According to him, the committee, which comprises members of the House of Assembly and officials of relevant ministries, submitted its report on Wednesday.

With the approval, ND 1 indigenous students of the Polytechnic will now pay N50,000 as against the N62,700 initially charged by the school management.

ND 11 students, who are indigenes, will pay N38,000 against the N52,000 previously approved by the school management.

Also, indigenous HND 1 students will pay N55,500 as against the N69,200 initially approved by the management, while HND II students will pay N43,000 against the initially approved N58,500.

The governor similarly approved a reduction in the tuition fees to be paid by part time students of the institution, both indigenes and non-indigenes.

The governor directed the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science and Technology, to ensure implementation of the revised new school fees.

Part of the recommendations of the committee, according to the statement, is that the management of Kwara Polytechnic should take a critical look at its staff needs, to re-channel its savings to cater for critical areas of academic staff requirement.

Gov. Ahmed thanked the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Ali Ahmad, members of the House of Assembly for their shared interest in affordable and accessible tertiary education in the state.

(NAN)