Frowns at plans to shutdown the school
From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Management of Novelty Polytechnic, Kishi, Oyo State, has disowned some satellite campuses being operated by some “fraudulent people” who are neither known to the institutions nor are working for the interest of the school/students.
The school, thus challenged the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), being the regulatory body for technical colleges in Nigeria, particularly the Polytechnic institutions, to take actions that would, expectedly, herald the shutting down of the identified satellite campuses.
Mr Lanre Ogundipe, a Member of the Governing Board of the Polytechnic told journalists at a press conference in Abuja, at the weekend, that the “fraudsters” operating the satellite campuses have tempered with the reputation of the institution, in addition to defrauding innocent students millions of Naira in the name of programmes that are not even running in the school.
“These fraudsters are using the name of Novelty Polytechnic to operate these satellite campuses in several locations in Lagos, Abuja, Oyo, Ogun and Niger states, among several others as discovered so far. From our findings, they offer several programmes including Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes that are not being offered in the main campus in Kishi, Oyo State.
“But our most disappointment was that the NBTE that’s suppose to put a check on such illegal activities seems to be quiet to this fraud despite several efforts, formally and informally, to get them to shutting down the satellite campuses identified so far.”
He made reference to letters that were written to NBTE in January, February, March and the recent ones of 12th, 15th, 24th, and 25th April, 2023, respectively, relating to the subject matter but neither reply nor expected actions were not taken against the activities of the fraudsters.
“Only for a letter to come from the Inspectorate Directorate of NBTE notifying us about the decision to shut down the school for violating NBTE rules of engagement, particularly as regards the running of satellite campuses.
“It’s an indication that something was wrong somewhere because we had written to NBTE several times to notify them about the activities of these fraudsters that were using the name of Novelty Polytechnic to operate satellite campuses but actions were not taken by the Board.”
Another Member of the Governing Board, Mr Dele Fanimo, also told journalists that the management of the school had reached out to the students in some of the satellite campuses asking them to quit any engagement with the operators of the satellite campuses because they are fraudsters that are operating illegal institution that has no recognition nor affiliation with the Novelty Polytechnic.
He appealed to NBTE to reconsider its positions on the subject matter, making reference to several letters from the school regarding the issue and its demand for the closing of the satellite campuses.
He asked the NBTE and by extension, the Federal Ministry of Education, to do the needful to protect the academic destiny of students in the institution.