OAU Building Department Students Compelled to Pay ₦3,000 for SIWES Report Submission

Abdulkareem Basit

Part 4 students in the Department of Building at Obafemi Awolowo University have reportedly been mandated to pay #3,000 naira each as a prerequisite for submitting their Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) reports and conducting their defense.

According to multiple anonymous student sources, the class representative announced that students who fail to pay the fee will not have their SIWES reports collected and will be barred from conducting their defense presentation.

A voice note made by the class representative revealed that students lamented the mandatory payment.  The class representative claimed the money was intended to purchase food and drinks for lecturers during last week's oral presentation, describing it as a form of appreciation for faculty members.

In an interview, one anonymous student confirmed the mandatory payment, stating that non-payment would result in being unable to submit their report or participate in the SIWES defense.

Another anonymous student suggested the practice has become a tradition in the department, attributing the directive to department executives and lecturers rather than the class representative.

An investigation by OAU Kilonshele revealed that the department has approximately 100+ Part 4 students affected by this payment requirement.

Notably, OAU Kilonshele's investigation also discovered that students in other departments were not subjected to similar mandatory payments for SIWES report submission.

The student who spoke on condition of anonymity lamented the situation, suggesting that the practice is systemic and driven by directives from departmental leadership