From Akilani Abdullah & Alice Ajakaye, Lagos
Students of the Lagos state University External System (LASUES) yesterday stormed the office of the state governor, Babatunde Fashola over alleged fraudulent practices and mass failure of students by the institution’s management.
This came barely a month after Fashola reversed the tuition for the students (External System students excluded) to N25, 000 at the last matriculation held at the school Main Campus, Ojo Local Government.
The students defied the scorching sun to storm Alausa Secretariat, office of the governor, at about 10:00 am and barricaded the entrance, demanding that governor Fashola must resolve their demands before they will vacate the entrance.
Some of the vehicles that approached the governor’s office were forced to turn back. The students, who were armed with placards, some of which read: ‘APC government has failed us, Lack of proper academic calendar, missing script and withheld result, increment in tuition and poor management, we say no to one year academic semester, our future; our life, Fashola please save us and others.
Complaining over the management of the system, the students said since 2012, LASUES has only conducted three examinations. But this is not in accordance with global practices on education.
According to the students, “The students who gained admission into the system in 2008/2009 are still in 500Level first semester when their 5 year academic studies should have been concluded in 2012.
“Also, thousands of students from the 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 set do not have admission letters, but they pay their tuition yearly.
“Thousands of LASUES students pay for their identity card yearly, but they are not given. We have written several letters to the Vice-Chancellor, Professor. John Obafunwa and the Director of LASUES, Professor Abanikanda but they are have turned deaf hears to our complains.
The students, in addition, demanded for reduction in their tuition fees, from N68, 700 to N38,700 for 500 level, and N75,700 to N45,700 for students in 400 Level and N95,700 to N65,700 for those in 300 Level.
According to them, less than 5 percent of the cumulative 40,000 student population record passes each time they sit down to write exams.
Speaking on behalf of the student, Mr. Abolaji Azeez, the Speaker of the Student Representatives Council, LASUES lamented that over seven of his courses are still missing, and noting “I do not have Identity Card to show that I am a student of the institution. And I pay yearly for the issuance of the card.”
Efforts by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Youths and Students Affairs, Mr. Hakeem Animashaun to pacify the protesting students proved abortive. As the students demanded to speak with the governor.
