Oyo State Govt condemns protest by students of tertiary institutions

Oyo State Government says the protest embarked upon by some students of the state-owned tertiary institutions in Ibadan on Tuesday is needless.

Mr Olasunkanmi Olaleye, Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, said this in a statement by Mr Taiwo Adisa, Chief Press Secretary to Gov. Seyi Makinde.

Report  state   that students of the state-owned tertiary institutions staged a protest over issues such as non-accreditation of courses, infrastructure inadequacies and non-payment of salary arrears of lecturers.

According to the commissioner, the state government has addressed accreditation issues affecting the institutions.

He said that the administration of Gov. Makinde had implemented policies and programs that had impacted positively on tertiary education in the state.

“The students are agitating for infrastructure development in the institutions, lack of accreditation of courses and the immediate call-off of strike by their lecturers.

”The lecturers have no reason to go on strike because there is regular payment of the minimum wage by the state government.

“However, the 11 months arrears being owed them will be paid by government.

“Moreso, all courses at the Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic, Eruwa, have been accredited while 14 new courses have just been accredited for the First Technical University (Tech-U), Ibadan.

“The Council of Oyo State College of Agricultural Technology (OSCATECH) Igboora, only recently wrote to seek government’s support in respect of accreditation,” Olaleye said.

The commissioner, who did not specify when the arrears of lecturers would be paid, said that capital grant had been released to the College of Education, Lanlate, Oyo State