MAPOLY students lament delayed graduation – after missing two NYSC batches

Higher National Diploma students admitted in the 2017/18 academic session in Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY) are lamenting the delay in the release of their academic results, a year after examination.

Statutorily, the students should have spent a maximum of two years on the programme and proceed to participate in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.

Their academic activities commenced in November 2016, and the HND1 first semester examination took place around March 2017.

But the school authorities later had a disagreement with Ibikunle Amosun, the then governor of the state, over the conversion of MAPOLY to Moshood Abiola University of Science and Technology (MAUTECH) and the establishment of a state polytechnic at Ipokia.

Following the misunderstanding which interrupted the academic calendar, the students, whose programme ought to have ended last year, had to wait till July 2018 before they could write their HND2 first semester exam while the second semester exams were written in March 2019.

But as of the time this report was filled, the results of both HND2 first and second semesters are yet to be released, leading to non-mobilisation of the students for the last two batches of the scheme — in July and August 2019.

Some “concerned student” of the institution, in a statement, lamented the hardship that they have been faced with due to the delay.

“We can’t get jobs because we have no results to tender, after spending elongated years on campus. We endured pain, humiliation and extortion from all quarters in school, now we are delayed,” the statement read.

“In the long run, results will be ready and issues will show up, missing grades have never stop showing faces, undeserved carry overs, leading to automatic extra years for some.”

Some of the affected students, who spoke with TheCable Lifestyle, expressed displeasure over the situation, saying lots of opportunities have been lost.

One of the affected students identified as Sodiq told TheCable Lifestyle that he lost a federal government job because his certificates were not ready.

“The school management has put our future on hold and they are they are treating us like we don’t exist. Because of this, I lost a federal government job,” he said.

“Please help us beg them to release us, since last year,” another student pleaded.

Samson Odedina, rector of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, said the institution was unable to mobilize the 2017/2018 HND ll students for NYSC because of the “crisis that rocked the institution in the last three years.”

In a statement, Yemi Ajibola, public relations officer of the institution, said the school is still processing the results of the students.

“The crisis that rocked the institution in the last three year almost grounded the institution leading to the declaration of ‘Work to rule’ strike action by the union which made the second semester examination almost impossible,” the statement read.

“But for the commitment and deliberate sacrifice of Academic and Non Academic staff made their final Examination possible in March 2019 amid strike and Non payment of salaries and Allowances.

“The process of concluding all outstanding post Examination issues for the recently graduated 2017/2018 HND graduates is on going with speed and commitment and results and mobilisation for NYSC will not be delayed for one second after the exercise.

“It is on record that Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Abeokuta have not been delaying our students for NYSC mobilisation and will not do that for any reason with the current graduates.

“As a matter of fact, MAPOLY mobilized students in NYSC Batch ‘A’ stream 1 and 2,(April 2019), Batch ‘B’ stream 1 and 2 (July and August 2019) and as at today, the institution is not having any outstanding students to mobilise for NYSC.”

The students, however, accused the management of spreading falsehood.

They also pleaded with Dapo Abiodun, governor of the state, to ensure prompt release of their results and to ensure their mobilization for NYSC before the year ends.