Students of Kenule Beeson Saro Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori, Rivers State, popularly known as Kenpoly, are demanding the reversal of the policy on provision for personal mattresses by returning students.

KenPoly Management had, in a memo with reference Number KSPT/REG/EST/20 dated Tuesday, September 6, 2022, and signed by Nuaka Julius Nwineh, directed all returning and new students, who wish to stay in the institution’s hostels, to provide their own mattresses upon resumption of activities for the 2021/2022 academic session.

“We wish to inform all returning and new students who intend to stay in Kenpoly hostels during the 2021/2022 session to come with personal mattresses as directed by the Governing Council of the Polytechnic.”  

“The above directive is very important for health and hygiene, particularly, in view of Covid-19, and must be taken seriously.”

Speaker of the 34th Assembly of the KenPoly Students Union Government (SUG), Nwikole Samuel, in a letter dated Monday, September 19, 2022, and addressed to the Rector, Dr. Ledum Gwarah, appealed for a reversal of the policy.

He advanced certain reasons for the appeal including that that such policy was strange to the Nigerian tertiary education community as it was not being practised in any tertiary institution in Nigeria, stressing that “the effects of this policy will have a down toll on student enrolment and kill their real for this prestigious institution”.

He enjoined the students to remain calm and continue to promote peace in the institution, assuring them that negotiations are ongoing and that the outcome of such will be favourable to them.