After spending months at home, many Kogi State tertiary institutions’ students rushed back to their schools on learning of their resumption. But it turned out to be a hoax. The government has, however, fixed June 5 for their resumption. MOHAMMED YABAGI reports.
‘With our vibrant and competent Governing Councils in place in the tertiary institutions and the Visitation Panels, we have put in place, sustainable solutions to possible future disruption’
It was supposed to be good news for students of Kogi State higher institutions who have been at home for four months, but it turned out to be a hoax.
When the students heard about their reopening last week, many rushed to their schools. But they met empty institutions.
The government denied making the announcement, saying it has fixed June 5 for resumption.
But the students are unhappy with the government and their lecturers over the development.
The workers’ strike, which affected schools remain unresolved, leaving the eight higher institutions shut for almost four months.
Hopes of resumption were raised last week when news broke that the government and the workers had struck a deal.
This was reinforced by government’s statement penultimate week, warning that it would take “drastic action” if the institutions were not reopened last May 15.
Apparently excited by the news, the students prepared for resumption. Many of them returned to school on May 4 in the hope that the strike would be called off. However, their hopes were dashed when they met their schools still shut.
The government and the aggrieved workers are yet to reach an agreement. Campuslife gathered that the workers’ unions, especially the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), vowed to continue with the strike, unless the government meets their demands.
Finding the schools’ closure as embarrassing, the government attempted to re-open them on two occasions. But the workers’ unions, it was learnt, rejected the move.
The schools, including the Kogi State College of Education (Technical) in Kabba, College of Education in Ankpa, Kogi State Polytechnic (KOGI POLY) in Lokoja, School of Nursing and Midwifery in Obangede, and the Kogi State University (KSU) in Anyigba, were shut when Campuslife correspondent visited last weekend.
At the KSU, the campus was literally a ghost town. Some of the classrooms and key facilities overgrown by weed. The community residents had converted some land belonging to the school into farms.
The school’s main gate, which used to be a beehive, was deserted. There were no security guards at the gate. Campuslife gathered that some of the guards in the security unit of the school were affected by the mass sack that trailed the recently-concluded government’s verification.
Enraged by the resumption hoax, the students embarked on peaceful protest. They condemned the government, academic and non-academic workers. They expressed sadness over the strike, saying their lecturers and the government are “inconsiderate and insensitive” to their plight. They called for immediate resolution of the crisis.
Ilemona Onechojo, a 300-Level Economics student, told Campuslife that KSU students were strike-weary, adding that the continued closure of their school has rendered many of them useless. If the school is not re-opened on time, he said, the state might witness increased crime rate as the students might be forced to resort to crime because of idleness.
Ilemona described the sacking of over 200 KSU staff as wicked, wondering why the government bypassed the Governing Council to screen the affected employees.
He said: “The government needs to reverse its stance on the recently-concluded screening of the university workers, because there is a constituted Governing Council in place to undertake the exercise. I believe verification or screening of workers of any academic institution should be the responsibility of the management.”
For Mohammed Abubakar, a Higher National Diploma (HND) II student of KOGI POLY, it does not matter to him whose fault it is that the state-owned tertiary institutions were shut. He said those concerned must reach a compromise, so that the students could return to their studies.
He said: “The continued closure of higher institutions owned by the state has created a security threat in the state. Many students have died in this needless strike, because they were at wrong places.
Some resorted to vices and dangerous ventures. Lecturers need to put themselves in the shoes of our parents, because the strike is having serious socio-economic impact on the state.”
Some lecturers, who preferred to be anonymous, defended their actions. They told Campuslife that they understood the pains the students were going through, urging the aggrieved students to direct their frustration at the government, which they described as “stubborn”.
On its part, the government claimed some schools complied with the directive to re-open for academics on May 15. The compliant institutions, according to the government, include Kogi State College of Education in Ankpa, School of Nursing and Midwifery in Obangede, College of Health Technology in Idah, and College of Education (Technical) in Kabba.
But Campuslife found the government’s claim misleading when our reporter visited some of the schools. Academic activities in those schools remained grounded, with no sign of lecturers on the campuses.
However, Governor Yahya Bello’s Director-General of Media and Publicity, Kingsley Fanwo, said talks were ongoing with the KSU and Kogi Poly workers to re-open their campus in line with the government’s directive. He added that all insitutions would be reopened for full academic activities on June 5.
As part of efforts to ensure resumption in June, the government’s spokesman said the workers’ March salaries had been paid, while April salary would also be paid before resumption.
Fanwo said: “We urge the few schools that are yet to resume to comply with Gov. Bello’s directive. They need to learn to trust the current administration on meeting their legitimate demands. We also appeal to all parents and students to remain steadfast as we work round the clock to ensure education remains our most cherished industry in the state.
“With our vibrant and competent Governing Councils in place in the tertiary institutions and the Visitation Panels, we have put in place, sustainable solutions to possible future disruption.”
Credits: Mohammed Yabagi | The Nation
