There have been complaints lately among students of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic over the failure of the authorities of the polytechnic to issue students’ identity cards to the students across all levels and departments of the polytechnic after their admission. Fielding questions have been raised as to the reasons for the delay and what the management is doing to address the situation? Elizabeth Oyewale reports.
Student ID card is important for students as they provide them with the opportunity to identify themselves in and outside the school but the delay in the issuance of the student ID card does not go down well with the students as it poses lots of challenges to them.
Students who do not have an identity card may be denied some benefits outside the school and may even face security threats and challenges.
Students lament Over ID cards
Quite a number of them have lost one opportunity or the other because they could not present their student identity card.
Olawole Serah, an ND2 Mass Communication student opines that “despite being a final year student, the institution never provided one for us not to talk of providing for the new intakes which is wrong and a slap on the face of the institution.”
Abdulhammeed Adebisi, an HND2 student of Mass Communication, embittered by the situation, blamed the delay on maladministration by the management.
“It is a shame how the management cares less about the welfare of the students.
” As a student, there was a student convention I went for, I wasn’t allowed to enter the convention as I do not have a means of identifying myself as a student of MAPOLY, I had to pay to have a fake ID card from another school to enter. It was a shame. Imagine a situation where someone gets arrested but doesn’t have the means to identify himself or herself as a student of MAPOLY, such a person becomes a victim of circumstances.
While narrating a convention he almost missed because he could not provide authorized proof he is a student. He advised the school management to put capable people In charge of the production of the ID card, a frustrated Adebisi laments.
He urged for quick availability of the cards so that newly admitted students will not suffer the same fate.
Another student who goes by the name, Opeyemi from Accountancy department HND2, said”since I have been in school, the school not even the department for once provided one for us and its disheartening, no means to even identify ourselves as a student of the school ”
“No step is taken by the department, I just keep wondering how we are going to finish a whole 5yrs course without a single means of identification other than a school fee receipt. she noted.
Sharing the same thought was Raphael from the Mass Communication department, ND2, he expressed his disappointment, stating how he was harassed by the police several times.
He said, “it’s a very bad idea for the school and even the department not to give students ID cards, only those who belong to the Press Club have. I can’t count how many times those police around Obada have harassed me requesting for my ID card After all, I can’t present what I don’t have”.
“There was a time my department asked us to fill a form for ID cards which I filled, at the end of the day, we didn’t see ID card”. He said.
Stating what step the department is taking concerning the issue, Raphael affirmed,” did they even know what students are going through. They have not mentioned it and since the majority of the students act as if they don’t need it.”
So surprising was Fawas Adebisi, an ND2 student of Mass Communication who shared how he was arrested by the police and couldn’t tender his identity card as a student.
In his words”, There was a day I was going to an event, but I needed to call in a silent place, so I went to a place. suddenly, I was called by some police officers, they asked me who I was, and I said I’m a student of MAPOLY, the next question I was asked was, where is your ID card? and I told them I have none, immediately, I was detained, accused of trying to steal something.
“I was so embarrassed, but I could not do anything, not until I had to call someone to bail me out.
“The school should please provide one for us because what happened to me might have happened to many students too. He said.
Similarly, Phillip from ND2 Mass Communication narrated how security agents would stop their buses while traveling and start to harass them for being a Yahoo boy because they could not provide a means of identification.
Disappointed, Saheed Hammed another HND2 student of Mass Communication blames the school management for the delay, he said, “it is very disheartening and underrates the institution, whereas, other institutions give their students ID cards on time. With the delay in the issuance of school ID cards, students won’t be able to identify non-students on campus and it can as well pose a high-security challenge for them.
However, some of the students have claimed to have school ID cards.
Ajoke from the Accountancy department HND2 said, “the one I have with me is the one I collected during my ND days. Although, I haven’t collected for HND level”.
Emmanuel from Food Technology, ND2 said he has as well.
Students blame Management
Another student, Ajose Oluwatoyin, ND1 Mass Communication said, “I feel the school procedure is very slow which is not supposed to be because one might find oneself in a difficult situation outside that the only way is to present one’s means of identification. We all know what’s going on when we are talking of police brutality”.
Talking About the ID card being their rights
Kabiru Ibrahim from Bussiness Administration, HND2 said, “not having a school ID means students are being stripped off their right as students and as well expose them to danger and harassment.” it feels like I’m not a bonafide student of the institution”.
Let’s hear what the School Authority has to say
Getting across to the Director of Students Affairs, DSA, Mr. Olusegun Aninkan about what the management is doing to address the issue of delay in issuance of school ID cards, said, “management has awarded to the producer and work is in progress. The delay was a result of students not completing their registration on time. Very soon, students will start collecting it.
