The students of the Faculty of Education, Federal University Oye Ekiti, took to social media especially respective WhatsApp groups to protest and demand a befitting faculty building on the 20th of November, 2018.
The faculty which was approved by the Nigeria University Commission in 2016 with 8 departments is housed in the former hostel built in 2011 for pioneer students of the university.
The issues raised by the students focused on the lack of adequate and spacious lecture rooms, lack of chairs in lecture rooms and lack of other social amenities that enhance quality learning.
One of the students, Ibiwoye Adekunle wrote: “the students of this faculty are using this opportunity to plead, implore and solicit the Management of the Institution, the Student’s Union body and all concerned Stakeholders of this University to look into the major needs of Education students. We fight for classes and also fight for seats. Enough is enough.”
Another student from the department of Business Education opined that all students from the institution irrespective of faculties and departments are the same and therefore the management should treat everyone as such.
He said “Every student of this university is equal and should be treated as such. If the Faculty of Education is truly the mother of all Faculties then she deserves a befitting building.”
“How can a Faculty with a thousands of students be receiving lectures in rooms that are inadequate for a Faculty like Education? A building with three rooms for over 8 departments… Should I even talk about the seats which are not even enough in the lecture rooms we call classes or the only hall we have in Phase 1 which two other faculties share with us and whose furniture are almost gone.”
He pleads with the management to take serious action in building a ‘befitting’ building for the faculty concluding that students of the faculty of Education are tired of fighting with students from other faculties in a bid to use classes.
Another Student from the department of Library and Information science expressed his concern over the addition of more departments to the Faculty since the current ones are still struggling for space in the Faculty.
One Abayomi wrote that the students body of the Faculty have done several consultations and meetings with the management several times. “We have written series of letters to the School management. We have met with the deputy Vice Chancellor and the Vice Chancellor about this issue. We have had several meetings with Dean of students’ affairs too which have not yielded any positive result.” He said.
He pleads with the management to act fast before the situation gets out of control.
Speaking to CAMPUS REPORTER, the president-elect of the Faculty, Olagunju Olarewaju, said “the social media uproar is necessary because of the way the generality of the students feel that the Management is not doing anything as regarding their welfarism”.
“Education students are law abiding intellectuals. We are not touts. We are future moulders, and the future of the larger Nigerian society depends on us. All we are asking for is a building of pride for the Faculty and not the one we currently have”.
Also, “we need shades where students can relax while waiting for lectures”.
“As I am speaking to you, the students in my Faculty have no place of convenience. Both male and female among us run to the bush to pay the dues of nature. This is not supposed to be so.”
“Yes, the school is trying but it should intensify efforts as regarding the welfarism of the students, especially Education.” He concluded.
Speaking to CAMPUS REPORTER on the issues raised by the students, the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof. Sunday Fasina said “a Faculty building of the University is a capital project that is funded by the Federal Government through TETFUND.”
He said the school, with several financial obligations, cannot fund a Faculty building like Education with its Internal Generated Revenue (IGR). However, he said the Vice Chancellor is taking adequate measure to ensure TETFUND includes Education’s Faculty building in the next batch of TETFUND capital project for the year 2019.
As regarding the inadequate space for students of the Faculty to receive lectures, he said he will write a memo to the Vice Chancellor to provide about two or three makeshift lecture rooms which can accommodate up to 500 students to receive lectures.
He, however, pleads with the students to be patient and not to throw caution in the air.
Source: UCJ FUOYE OFFICIAL WEBSITE
