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ASUU condemns hike in school fees, rejects Students Loan Scheme

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…Says loan scheme will keep students ‘in perpetual indebtedness’

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has condemned the recent hike in the school fees of public owned tertiary institutions, while rejecting the proposed education loan scheme for Nigerian students, stating that it will keep students in “perpetual indebtedness.”

This was part of the outcome of the Union’s resolution after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at the Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Bayelsa State, ASUU.

This is just as the Union, according to a statement on Thursday, said it was surprised by the reports it received on the failed promises of the Bola Tinubu-led administration toward addressing the lingering issues that forced the union to embark on the nationwide strike action of February–October 2022.

ASUU insisted that the Students Loan Scheme, being promoted by international money lending agencies such as the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, would starve public universities of funding.

The statement read, “For the avoidance of doubt, the NEC of ASUU reiterated its rejection of the Students Loan Scheme which is being promoted by international money lending agencies such as IMF and World Bank.

“Nigerians should be aware that the scheme is a way of starving public universities of funding and a ploy to divert public funds into private universities owned by politically exposed individuals and their friends.

“NEC further observed that the students’ loan scheme will mortgage the entire university system and keep our promising students in perpetual indebtedness.

“If the scheme could fail in some better-managed economies, there is no guarantee that it will succeed in Nigeria where unbridled corruption, nepotism, and other unsavoury tendencies conspired to kill the Education Bank project after over five years of its existence.”

ASUU, however, suggested that if the State and Federal Governments truly wished to invest in the lives of Nigerian students, grants and scholarships should be made available to students while the Needs-Based Budgeting System should be restored to the university system for greater efficiency.

The National President, ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, in the statement, said the Union condemned the huge fee hike in schools, saying funds diverted from the government’s treasuries should be used to fund universities.

It read, “NEC condemns in its entirety the wave of fee hike without inputs of the victims across our campuses.

“Daily scandalous reports of stupendous funds diverted from government treasuries at state and Federal levels reinforce our belief that resources available to the country could support government-funded university education –without excessive pressures on parents as currently done.”

It explained that had the Federal Government kept fate with the MoU 2013, which provided for N1.3 trillion over a period of six years, many universities would have been restored to a level at which they could attract foreign students and become renowned for cutting-edge and transformative research.

“We challenge the Tinubu administration to urgently initiate moves to conduct another needs assessment exercise to empirically verify our call for massive intervention in our public universities.

“It was the Federal Government’s response to a similar challenge in 2012 that gave rise to the aggregate sum of N1.3 trillion which the Government has since abrogated,” it said.

ASUU has been in a struggle with the Government over the years with lamentation of failed promises. Recently, some of the agreements, which include payment of Earned Academic Allowance, and the unprogressive renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement, removal from the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System, revitalisation funds, withheld salaries are yet to be implemented by the government.

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Education

Kwara Govt warns against illegal charges for Common Entrance exam

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The Kwara State Government has warned principals of Junior Secondary Schools and head teachers of primary schools across the state against illegal charges for the state placement examination (Common Entrance).

Any violator will face the full wrath of the law, the state Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo Kawu, warned on Tuesday in her office in Ilorin.

She emphasized that the common entrance is free and government will not tolerate anyone or group of people extorting money, under any guise, from the pupils because the examination is fully sponsored by the state government.

Hajia Modibbo Kawu urged the principals and head teachers to desist from all acts that could dent the image of the state government.

She also cautioned them against aiding and abetting examination malpractices, stating that the present administration has zero tolerance for examination malpractices.

The commissioner implored the parents and guardians of the pupils to report any principal or head teacher with suspicious acts to her office directly, reiterating that her office is open to everyone.

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Education

UNILORIN appoints 40 new Professors

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By Saka Laaro, Ilorin

The University of Ilorin has announced the promotion of 40 of its senior academics to the rank of Professor.

The elevation, which was approved by the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, SAN, was sequel to the recommendations of the University Appointment and Promotion Committee.

A statement from the Office of the Registrar said that the 40 distinguished scholars were found to have excelled in the realms of teaching, research and community service and subsequently promoted to the highest rank obtainable in the academia.

The breakdown of the beneficiaries of the promotion exercise shows that 11 of the new Professors are produced by the Faculty of Agriculture and they are Prof. Sidiqat A. Aderinoye-Abdulwahab, Prof. L. L. Adefalu,Prof. F. O. Takim and Prof. A. A. Badmos.

Others are Prof. Foluke E. Sola-Ojo, Prof. W. A. Jimoh, Prof. M. I. Abubakar, Prof. T. H. Aliyu, Prof. R. O. Uddin II, Prof. T. O. Amusa and Prof. Mutiat A. Balogun.
From the Faculty of Arts are Prof. K. M. U. Gbodofu, Prof. Y. A. Abdullahi, Prof. Abosede R. O. Babatunde, Prof. Bolanle E. Arokoyo, and Prof. P. U. Nwosu while the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences produced Prof. A. S. Alabi, who teaches at the Department of Anatomy.
Two Lecturers from the Faculty of Clinical Sciences were also elevated to the rank of Professor and they are Prof. T. O. Olanrewaju and Prof. O. A. M. Adesiyun.

The Faculty of Communication & Information Science also produced two new Professors through Prof. Tinuke O. Oladele and Prof. Saudat S. Abdulbaqi while those promoted from the Faculty of Education are Prof. O. O. Okoji, Prof. Folakemi O. Adeniyi-Egbeola and Prof. Florence O. Daramola

From the Faculty of Engineering and Technology are Prof. A. T. Ajiboye, Prof. A. Y. Abdulrahman, Prof. M. O. Sumonu, Prof. Rasheedat M. Mahamood and Prof. T. K. Ajiboye.

The Faculty of Law produced one new Professor in the person of Prof. A. C. Onuora-Oguno.
The Faculty of Life Sciences produced four new professors. They are Prof. M. O. Nafiu, Prof. Faoziyat A. Sulaiman, Prof. Risikat Nike Ahmed, and Prof. I. O. Sule.

Those promoted from the Faculty of Management Sciences are Prof. M. A. Ajayi and Prof. Rihanat I. Abdulkadir as the Faculty of Physical Sciences also produced two new professors through Prof. Haleemat I. Adegoke and Prof. O. A. Abidoye.

The promotion of Prof. Monisola A. Tunde of the Department of Geography and Environmental Management was also confirmed while the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine also produced one of the new Professors in the person of Prof. Z. Jaji from the Department of Veterinary Anatomy.

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Education

Student Union election turns deadly: One student flees for life, parents killed in tragic attack 

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In the quiet town of Ekiadolor, the College of Education became a battleground as student politics turned deadly. Odunuga Gbenga, a promising student, found himself thrust into the chaos of campus conflict.

It all began innocently enough when Gbenga was nominated as a contestant for the Student Union presidency. Little did he know that this simple act would plunge him into a nightmare.

During the election, tensions ran high as rival factions clashed violently. What was supposed to be a democratic process spiraled into chaos, with reports of killings, rapes, and riots echoing across the school grounds.

In fear for his life, Gbenga fled the campus, seeking refuge in the familiar embrace of his parents’ home in Edo State. But safety eluded him as darkness fell on that fateful night.

Under the cover of midnight, a group of assailants descended upon Gbenga’s home, shattering the peace of the night. In a desperate bid for survival, Gbenga fought bravely, but the odds were against him.

Tragically, Gbenga’s valiant efforts were in vain. Though he managed to escape, his beloved parents were not as fortunate. The attackers, driven by unknown motives, mercilessly took the lives of Mr. Samuel Odunuga and Mrs. Taiwo Odunuga, leaving a family shattered and a community reeling in shock.

Since that harrowing night in 2023, the search for Gbenga has consumed the hearts and minds of his grieving family. Their plea echoes through the pages of this newspaper, a desperate cry for justice and closure in the face of unspeakable tragedy.

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