The proprietor of the College of Education On Thursday, Mr. Oyeleye Fasua, urged the institution’s protesting students to remain calm, promising to take care of the matter of enlisting them for the National Youth Service Corps.
On Monday, college students protested about the college’s inability to organize them for the NYSC after they finished their degree programs there. The five-year degree programs were associated with Akungba Akoko’s Adekunle Ajasin University.
Anger-filled students blocked the Akure-Ilesa Expressway, kidnapping Fasua and demanding their tuition money back in the event that they were not accepted into the NYSC program.
During the protest, the students also caused damage to some school property.
Speaking with our correspondent in Akure, Fasua clarified that the institution was operating under the assurances given by the AAUA management that students would be recruited for the NYSC program following program completion.
Despite the fact that the Memorandum of Understanding inked with the AAUA for the associated programs did not specifically state that the students would be mobilized for the NYSC scheme, the proprietor nonetheless acknowledged that the university’s management had pledged to mobilize the
He said, “On September 15, 2017, the College of Education, Ero, entered into an affiliation agreement with the AAUA to run a degree program. Throughout this partnership, we have been assured by the university that our students would be eligible for the NYSC upon completion of their studies.
“These assurances were reiterated during the matriculation ceremony held at our institution, where the Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of AAUA addressed our students directly. It is with deep regret and disappointment that I must express my shock upon learning that the list released by AAUA for NYSC placement did not align with the assurances given to us.
“This unfortunate development has led to a protest by our students, which resulted in acts of violence and damage to property. I must emphasize that I strongly condemn any form of violence or destruction of property as a means of expressing grievances.
“I would like to assure the public that the AAUA is a reputable institution that takes matters such as these seriously. I contacted the university’s directorate, Professor Hassan, the Director of IOD about the ugly development and he responded that the student representatives from my school Ero just left his office. He therefore expressed that the team of management from my school should come over for an amicable resolution, and we are currently working together to find an amicable solution to this situation.
He urged the students to exercise restraint and refrain from taking the law into their own hands, saying it was important to give room for peaceful dialogue and allow the appropriate channels to address the matter
“I trust that Adekunle Ajasin University will take swift action to investigate and rectify this discrepancy, ensuring that the promised opportunities for NYSC placement are extended to our deserving students,” he stated.
