Anger Boils as NAPS Threatens to Shut Down Osun Over Polytechnic Neglect — Gives Government 7 Days to Act

The National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS), Southwest Zone, has issued a stern seven-day ultimatum to the Osun State Government, accusing it of neglecting state-owned polytechnics and monotechnics across the state.

In a statement released on Friday, NAPS Southwest expressed deep concern over what it described as the “alarming decay and abandonment” of tertiary technical education in Osun State. The association said findings from its recent visitation revealed “shocking levels of neglect” affecting the quality of learning and the welfare of students.

According to the statement, most state-owned polytechnic and monotechnic institutions in Osun are operating with severe shortages of qualified academic and non-academic staff, leading to overworked personnel and a decline in educational standards.

NAPS also lamented the poor and insufficient laboratory and workshop facilities, noting that students are being denied the essential practical experience required to complement classroom learning. The association described this as “a serious threat to students’ employability and the integrity of technical education in the state.”

Another major issue raised by the student body was the non-functionality of the Cooperative College, Odeomu, which, according to NAPS, has yet to admit a single student since its establishment. The association labeled the situation as “a colossal waste of public resources and a betrayal of the institution’s founding vision.”

Calling the situation “an outright assault on the future of Nigerian students,” NAPS demanded that the Osun State Government take immediate action to:

• Recruit qualified teaching and non-teaching staff across all state-owned polytechnic and monotechnic institutions.
• Rehabilitate and equip laboratories and technical workshops to meet minimum educational standards.
• Commence full academic operations at the Cooperative College, Odeomu.

The student body gave the state government a seven-day ultimatum to show “visible and verifiable commitment” toward addressing these issues.

Failure to do so, NAPS warned, would result in a massive protest across Osun State, which could lead to the shutdown of public spaces and government offices.

“We are ready, and we will not watch silently while the future of students is being destroyed,” the statement concluded, signed by Comrade Ogunsola Adewale John, Southwest Zonal Treasurer of NAPS.