- Management of the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, has said that, contrary to information being peddled online, the institution did not advertise its post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination registration for 2019/2020 admission.
Management of the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, has said that, contrary to information being peddled online, the institution did not advertise its post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination registration for 2019/2020 admission.
The polytechnic warned unsuspecting members of the public to beware of the activities of online scammers, who defraud admission seekers through fraudulent websites.
The Public Relations Officer of the institution, Mallam Yunus Abdulqadri, told our correspondent that the institution had only one website, which is www.kwarastatepolytechnic.edu.ng.
The institution also said that it did not authorise any private online website to handle its post UTME registration.
However, some concerned parents and their sons/wards seeking admission to the polytechnic admitted that a particular website is currently operating with the online address, kwarapolyscreening.com, and advertising itself as the ‘candidate/applicant registration portal for the 2019 Post-TME Screening Exercise of the Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin’.
The polytechnic claimed that the website carried its official logo and address, adding that a check on the official website of the Kwara State Polytechnic at kwarastatepolytechnic.edu.ng showed no mention of a relationship between the said website and the polytechnic.
Two of the concerned parents, Babatunde Aremu and Alhaji Abdul Malik Ita, had reported that the operator of the website demanded a total sum of N4,000 in registration fees from admission seeking candidates.
Aremu said, “Information on the authoritative Kwara State Polytechnic website showed the completion of registration for HND Admission on July 31, 2019 and rumours had it that the pre-admission screening registration would be commencing almost immediately after, as had been the tradition of the institution for years.
“However, while there was no information forthcoming on the polytechnic website on such exercise till date, kwarapolyscreening.com seemed to be taking advantage of the situation by displaying Post-UTME registration information for the polytechnic with the payment of an application form fee of N2,000 for all candidates, an additional N1,000 for candidates with one O’Level result and additional N2,000 for candidates with two O’ Level results”, he said.
On the other hand, Ita said the implication of unauthorised websites defrauding candidates was further made serious by historical incidents relating to the polytechnic.
He said, “For example, currently on the website of the polytechnic at kwarastatepolytechnic.edu.ng , there is a disclaimer by the Registrar of the Polytechnic, Mr. Kolawole Sheye Akande, warning the public about dealing with a man whose photograph appears on the website as a full-time or part-time staff of the Kwara State Polytechnic.
“A few years ago, there was also an incident in which some unscrupulous people were found to have been fraudulently selling admission forms of the Kwara State Polytechnic to candidates around the Post Office area of Ilorin. The perpetrators where arrested and handed over the Police for prosecution.
“Also a few years ago, precisely around 2016, one of the cybercafe operators within the premises of the Kwara State Polytechnic Ilorin, was arrested by security personnel of the institution for allegedly forging fees clearance documents for graduating students in the school.
“The said a cyber cafe operator was caught with a stamp and signature specimen of the approving officer of the audit department of the institution. The suspect was subsequently handed over to the Police for interrogation and prosecution.”
“Just as the polytechnic swung into action on the fraudulent cybercafé operators by handing them over to the Police, it is now time for the Kwara State Polytechnic to evolve strategies for the internet or cyber equivalent to protect its image and put an end to the economic sabotage of fraudulent websites using the polytechnic’s image. There is urgent need in the public interest to curb the proliferation of fraudulent websites for admissions, screenings and employments associated with Government Institutions and which have become major sources of headache for candidates and applicants likewise”, he said.
