Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, has expelled 42 students following investigations into allegations of examination malpractice.
The affected students comprise 31 Higher National Diploma and 11 National Diploma students drawn from various institutes and programmes within the institution.
The decision was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday by the Principal Assistant Registrar, Academic Board Matters Division, Ibrahim Esin.
Esin said the students were investigated by the institution’s Examination Malpractice Committee after allegations of misconduct were brought against them.
According to him, the committee found the students guilty after due investigation, noting that their actions violated the Matriculation Oath they took when they were admitted into the polytechnic.
“The students were found guilty of the allegations against them after due investigation by the Examination Malpractice Committee,” Esin said.
He explained that the expulsions were approved in line with the regulations contained in the institution’s Students’ Handbook.
“The expulsions were approved in accordance with the provisions of the Polytechnic’s Students’ Handbook,” he added.
The Institute of Finance and Management Studies recorded the highest number of affected students, with 23 expulsions. It was followed by the Institute of Technology with eight, while four students each were expelled from the Institute of Information and Communication Technology and the Centre for Continuing Education.
Two students from the Institute of Health Technology and one from the Institute of General Studies were also affected.
The expelled students were enrolled in programmes including Mechatronics Engineering, Civil Engineering, Strategic Communication, Journalism and Media Studies, Public Administration, Business Administration, Banking and Finance, Accountancy, Electrical/Electronic Engineering and Medical Imaging Technology.
Other affected programmes include Microfinance and Entrepreneurship Development, Social Development, Procurement and Supply Chain Management, and Industrial and Labour Relations.
Following the disciplinary action, the management directed the affected students to return any property belonging to the polytechnic that remained in their possession.
Esin said the items should be returned to the students’ respective Heads of Department or other authorities designated by the institution.
“The expelled students are hereby directed to hand over all Polytechnic property in their possession to their respective Heads of Department or other designated authorities,” he said.
The polytechnic said the expulsions followed the completion of the examination malpractice investigations and the approval of the sanctions by the appropriate authorities.
