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LASPOTECH students lament lack of hostel facilities, irregular classes
Students of the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), Isolo campus, have lamented how the institution’s lack of hostels on campus is affecting their finances and studies.
They also complained about the irregularity of lectures for months after resumption, as well as what they called irrelevant rules they have to obey.
The polytechnic, like other Lagos State-owned tertiary institutions, does not have hostels on campuses – though the government has started building an 8,000-bed hostel at the Lagos State University (LASU).
The LASPOTECH Isolo campus has both part-time and full-time students. The full time programme however has only two departments (Office Technology Management and Accounting); the rest are at the institution’s main campus in Ikorodu.
Presently, the full-time students in National Diploma [ND] 1; Higher National Diploma [HND] I and HND II classes are wrapping up their first semester examinations while ND II students are scheduled to begin their examinations on August 23.
The part- time students on the other hand, are in their second semester which is scheduled to end next month according to the institution’s academic calendar. However, they are bearing the brunt of the ongoing examinations which they lamented had affected their classes. They said their classes have not been regular despite resuming over five weeks ago.
Nevertheless they are scheduled to write their examination next month. Besides selling of text books, the part-time students said little is going on. As a result, they have been reluctant about coming to school. They said they come anytime they feel like.
“Lecturers have not been coming for classes, most of us just come to take attendance and go,” said two part-time students of Mass Communication who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity.
Out of about 350 students in the class, the duo said only a few attend lectures – which they said was a disservice to students who cannot comprehend just by studying on their own.
“As for both of us, we understand better when they teach us. What helps us most is the night class tutorials we attend before the exams. We pay for those classes, at least N300. But it still better than failing and getting carry overs,” they said.
While part-time students worry about irregular classes, the full-time students are concerned about the high cost of rent in the Isolo area.
“There is no hostel inside this school – maybe because the space is not big enough – but it has forced most of us to rent lodges outside the school. And these lodges are not small money – over N100,000 depending on the size of the lodge,” said a student who simply called herself Shola.
Another student, Mariam, said with no hostels on campus, the students are dispersed all over the community making it hard to come together to study outside the campus.
The students also lamented the financial burden that followed the attendant increase in the price of foodstuffs, electricity bill and water. They said that if the school had hostels, they would not have to spend a lot on transportation.
“All these are finishing our money,” they said. Shola added: “If only this school can build hostels for students within the campus, it can help to reduce most of these financial problems.”
She is, however, optimistic that things would change once the remaining full-time departments are moved to the Ikorodu campus.
“We have hope since they are planning to move the last two full-time departments to the main campus at Ikorodu”.
For the part-time students who are not leaving Isolo campus anytime soon, they would have to contend with rules that they deem irrelevant.
The rules include: “No face cap, no shades, no ripped jeans, no sleeveless, no dreads for male students “ –which are considered as “normal clothing” by students in a campus setting.
They said that due to these new rules, their normal way of dressing changed, they now repeat clothes or buy more when not necessary.
However, Mariam and Shola do not think the rules are irrelevant. They both appreciated the school for its cleanliness and dedicated lecturers.
“The rules help to curb sexual harassment and indecent dressing. Face caps and shades can be used to conduct malpractice; and is a sign of disrespect to the school area,” they said. They both appreciated the school for its cleanliness and dedicated lecturers. Unlike the part timers, they also received lectures very often.
When asked about the lack of hostels, the Head of the institution’s Public Relations unit, Mr. Olarewaju Kuye, said: “Hostel is a government policy. But the plan to build is on for Ikorodu (campus),” he said.
Regarding the irregular lectures for part-time students, Kuye said they were yet to fully resume.
“For part-time students, they are yet to fully resume for second semester. It was not quite long they finished first semester exams,” she said.
The All Progressives Congress has released its timetable for the 2027 general elections, fixing its presidential primary for May 15 to 16, 2026.
According to the schedule signed by the APC National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu, on Monday, the party will begin the sale of nomination and expression of interest forms at its National Secretariat from April 25 to May 2, 2026, while submission of completed forms will close on May 4.
The APC pegged its presidential form at ₦100m, comprising ₦30m for expression of interest and ₦70m for nomination.
Governorship aspirants are to pay ₦50m, while Senate, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly forms cost ₦20m, ₦10m and ₦6m respectively.
The timetable indicates that screening of aspirants will hold between May 6 and May 8, while screening results will be released on May 11, followed by appeals from May 12 to May 13.
Photo: X/@OfficialAPCNg
Presidential primaries are scheduled for May 15 and 16, while those for the House of Representatives, Senate, State House of Assembly and governorship will hold on May 18, May 20, May 21 and May 23, respectively.
The party also fixed May 25 for the conclusion of election appeals across all categories.
The schedule shows that all primary elections will be conducted within eight days.
The party, however, granted concessions to female aspirants, youths and persons living with disabilities, who are to pay for only the expression of interest forms and 50 per cent of the nomination fees.
The timetable stated that the schedule was in line with the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the Independent National Electoral Commission guidelines
President Bola Tinubu has signed the 2026 Appropriation Bill into law, authorising an aggregate expenditure of ₦68.32 trillion for the current fiscal year.
He also signed a separate bill extending the implementation period of the 2025 budget from March 31 to June 30, 2026.
The budget allocates ₦4.799 trillion for statutory transfers and ₦15.8 trillion for debt service.
It further sets aside ₦15.4 trillion for recurrent expenditure and ₦32.2 trillion for capital expenditure through the Development Fund.
The presidency made the disclosure in a statement signed by Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga on Friday.
The statement read, “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assented to the 2026 Appropriation Bill, which provides for an aggregate expenditure of ₦68.32 trillion. He has also signed the bill extending the implementation period for the 2025 budget from March 31, 2026, to June 30, 2026.
“The N68.32 trillion budget for this year earmarks N4.799 trillion for statutory transfers and N15.8 trillion for debt service. It allocates N15.4 trillion to recurrent expenditure and N32.2 trillion to the Development Fund for Capital Expenditure.
“With capital expenditure accounting for about 50 per cent, the 2026 budget underscores the administration’s continued commitment to economic stability, national security, infrastructure development, and inclusive growth.
“The allocations reflect a strategic balance between statutory obligations, debt servicing, recurrent expenditure, and capital investments critical to driving productivity and improving the quality of life for Nigerians,” it added.
The 2026 Appropriation Act took effect on April 1, with the Federal Government commencing full implementation in line with what the presidency describes as the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Tinubu also assented to the Appropriation (Repeal and Enactment) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which extends the capital component of the 2025 Appropriation Act by three months to June 30.
The presidency said the extension would ensure the full utilisation of appropriated funds, particularly for critical infrastructure projects at advanced stages of implementation.
“The extension will ensure the full and effective utilisation of appropriated funds, particularly for critical infrastructure and development projects that are at advanced stages of implementation across the country.
“It will enable Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to consolidate ongoing works, enhance project completion rates, and maximise value for public expenditure,” the statement read.
Tinubu directed MDAs to ensure disciplined, transparent, and efficient utilisation of allocated resources, with strong emphasis on value for money and timely project delivery.
He commended the leadership and members of the National Assembly for what the presidency described as their “diligence, cooperation, and patriotism in expeditiously considering and passing the budget.”
“The President reaffirmed the importance of sustained collaboration between the Executive and Legislative arms of government in advancing national development objectives,” the statement noted.
Tinubu also assured Nigerians of his administration’s resolve to deepen fiscal reforms and boost revenue generation.
“He further assured Nigerians of his administration’s resolve to deepen fiscal reforms, enhance revenue generation, and prioritise investments that will stimulate economic growth, create jobs, and strengthen social protection mechanisms,” the statement read.
The budget, titled “The Budget of Consolidation, Renewed Resilience and Shared Prosperity,” was originally presented to a joint session of the National Assembly on December 19, 2025, at a proposed sum of ₦58.47 trillion.
It passed second reading in the House of Representatives on January 29, 2026, before going through further legislative scrutiny and emerging at ₦68.32 trillion at the point of assent.
During the second reading debate in January, House Leader Julius Ihonvbere had urged lawmakers to support the proposal, pointing to a projected 3.98 per cent economic growth rate for 2026, a projected drop in inflation to 14.45 per cent, improved revenues, and foreign direct investment growth.
He also cited a stabilisation of the naira at around ₦1,400 to the dollar and a rise in Nigeria’s external reserves to a seven-year high of approximately $47 billion.
When Tinubu presented the bill to lawmakers in December, he described it as a defining moment in Nigeria’s reform journey, acknowledging the pressures the process had placed on households and businesses while insisting the sacrifices were necessary.
“The path of reform is seldom smooth, but it is the surest route to lasting stability and shared prosperity,” he told the joint session.
He vowed that 2026 would mark a decisive shift to stronger budget execution discipline, announcing an end to the long-standing practice of running overlapping budgets and perpetual rollovers.
The budget’s four stated objectives are consolidating macroeconomic stability, improving the business and investment environment, promoting job-rich growth, and strengthening human capital development while protecting the vulnerable.
Key sectoral allocations include ₦5.41 trillion for defence and security, ₦3.56 trillion for infrastructure, ₦3.52 trillion for education, and ₦2.48 trillion for health.
Minister of Information Mohammed Idris, writing in a January op-ed, described the budget as a commitment to consolidate what was working in the administration’s reform programme and ensure that shared prosperity became “a lived reality for more Nigerians, faster.”
He pointed to expanding business activity, improving investor confidence, easing inflation, and stronger external reserves as early indicators of progress, and highlighted ongoing infrastructure projects including the Coastal Highway, Sokoto–Badagry Expressway, and Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano Gas Pipeline as evidence of the administration’s delivery record.
The Coalition of Northern Muslims and Christians Youth For Religious Tolerance in Nigeria has called for the Florida State representative and Chairwoman of the UN-WCD, Kimberly Daniels to not pretend under Christianity faith to create division between Christians and Muslims in Northern region of Nigeria for her Call on the Nigeria authority to redeploy the Honourable Minister of State for Defence Dr.Bello Mohammed Matawalle.
During the Coalition joint emergency press conference which was held in Kaduna Northwest Nigeria, the Coalition Statement which was jointly signed by Secretary General Mr. Bitrus Bahago along with his counterpart the Public relation officer Ustaz Abdullahi Abubakar,
Read: “The statements credited to Florida State representative Kimberly Daniels calling for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to redeploy the Honourable Minister of State for Defence Bello Mohammed Matawalle is not necessary and terrible motive aimed at targeting Norther Muslim public office holder”
“Mrs Kimberly Daniels Should note that Nigeria is not owned by only one faith, therefore we are collectively demanding her unreserved apology for her bigotry which could affect the peaceful Coexistence and religious tolerance between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria”
The Coalition Statement further remind Mrs. Kimberly Daniels that, “even though Matawalle is only overseeing the Nigeria Navy enjoyed a Cordial working relationship with his friend a devoted Northern Christian leader General Christopher Gwabin Musa who in charge of Nigeria army and Nigeria Air force combined.
The Coalition concludes by advising Mrs. Kimberly Daniels to desist from making unnecessary bigotry demand targeting or pointing finger at a particular faith.
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