We call
on ASUU and other Unions to Speak out against the Monumental injustice going on
at the University of Lagos
Press
statement
The Education Rights Campaign (ERC) asks Nigerians to hold the
authorities of the University of Lagos responsible for the impending mass
failure in the University. This is because the University is forcing students
to start examinations on the 9th of May 2016 while lectures and test
are still being held. This invariably means that students would be going into
the examination without the mandatory one week lecture and test free week
required for adequate preparation. The ERC condemns this and demands a
postponement of examinations so that students can prepare adequately.
When the University was closed down on Friday 8th April
2016 following a students’ protest over poor welfare conditions, students were
given just 4 hours to vacate the campus even as armed police men encircled the
University. As a result many went home without their books.
Asking those same students who just resumed on May 2nd
to start examinations on May 9 even while many lecturers are yet to conclude
lectures is insensitive, callous and a recipe for mass failure. This is aside
the fact that since May 3rd, many students are still busy signing
and submitting undertaking forms in order to satisfy the undemocratic and
despotic conditions imposed by the management for re-opening the University.
The public would recall that the University of Lagos was closed
down on Friday 8th April 2016 by the authorities following students’
protests against poor welfare conditions and high cost of food items and other
commodities on campus. One of the key grievances of students was the epileptic
power supply on campus worsened by the failure of the University to account for
2 additional generators which if provided could, together with the 2 existing
generators, guarantee nearly 60 percent electricity supply during period of
outage from the distribution companies.
Up till now, none of these problems have been addressed by the
University. In a bulletin asking students to resume, the University only
promised electricity supply between the hours of 7pm and 7am. On water supply,
the University is providing no palliatives. The issue of high cost of food and
commodities remain thus further compounding students’ distress especially in
the given situation where there would be no light for cooking in the day time
and they would have to eat out. These are the terrible conditions under which
students are being rushed to write examinations.
If the UNILAG management was sensitive and responsible, it would
have postponed examinations for at least 2 weeks to give ample time for
students to settle in and for lectures and tests to be concluded.
Unfortunately, UNILAG, like other Universities, is being managed by sadistic
and despotic officials who revel in the misfortune of students and staff.
We urge the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other
staff unions not to sit by and watch the University of Lagos do this to
students. ASUU especially has often spoken out against injustice in the
University system. This is one injustice too many in the University of Lagos
and it deserves ASUU’s public condemnation. Already the same management has
suspended the Students Union, dissolved the union executives and evicted them
from hostels all because they dared to lead other students to challenge
authorities’ anti-students policy. We call on ASUU, other staff unions, the
labour movement and the general public to prevail on the management of the
University of Lagos to postpone examinations and utilize the intervening period
to address all the issues, especially that of poor welfare conditions, that
precipitated the protest of April 6 and 7.
Hassan Taiwo
Soweto
National Coordinator
(07033697259)
Michael Ogundele
National Secretary
No comments:
Post a Comment