The Nation Newspaper

Category: Campus Life

Fayemi’s wife makes case for women

The wife of the Ekiti State Governor, Mrs Bisi Fayemi, has called for increased representation of women in government.

She was the guest at the plenary session of the Faculty of Arts’ Annual Conference held last week.

The conference was tagged Re-enacting leadership in Nigeria: The place and role of the Humanities.

Mrs Fayemi, an alumnus of the institution, said the Beijing 1995 conference on the status and role of women in the society was yielding success with many women occupying leadership positions across the world.

She said some of the achievements of the conference included awareness on gender equality, formulating legal policies and constitutional framework to strengthen the rights of women. She also listed some challenges facing women rights advocacy to include religion and culture and lack of political will, among others.

Mrs Fayemi disclosed that November 25 to 30 of every year were set aside for activism against women oppression, urging the participants to join in writing the Nigerian legislators on the need to domesticate charters on women’s rights.

She said if the laws were domesticated, women would have the right to participate fully in governance without necessarily lobbying through political godfathers.

At the end of the session, Mrs Fayemi was honoured as a distinguished alumnus of the faculty. She was later accompanied by Prof Oladipo Salami, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and other guests to lay the foundation stone for Bisi Fayemi Center for Gender and Social Policy Studies.

October 25, 2012
Abia varsity boils over fee hike

For the fourth time in four years, the management of Abia State University (ABSU) has increased tuition fees payable by its students. The latest of such increments led to a violent demonstration.

The university was shut down indefinitely. PASCAL OKEZU (300-Level Mass Communication) reports.

LECTURES have been suspended indefinitely at the Abia State University (ABSU), Uturu, following a violent protest by students over an increment in tuition fees. The students said the management has increased the fee four times in four years.

This is the second time the university has been closed down in three years.

Our correspondent learnt that in late 2007, the school fees being paid was N27,000 but by mid-2008, it was increased to N30,500. There was no protest because the students felt the increment was minimal.

However, in 2009, the hiking of the fee from N30,500 to 60,000 sparked a demonstration, which led to the closure of the state-owned university for six months. Students later resumed when the fee was reduced to N47,500.

In 2011, the school fees was again raised to N50,500, an increment the management explained was as a result of an inclusion of faculty dues of N3,000. Students reacted that the faculties’ dues had been included in the initial figure of N47,500 but management disagreed and had its way.

However, in January this year, a new regime of fees was introduced. Faculties were required to pay different exorbitant fees. Fresh students in faculties such as Law and Nursing and Optometry were asked to pay N120,000 while their colleagues in higher level will pay N100,000.

At the Faculty of Humanities, freshers will pay N100,000 while students in higher levels were asked to pay N90,000. In the faculties of Business and Education, it is N90,000 for the freshers and 80,000 for other levels.

Though the management gave the students the grace to pay the fees in two instalments. But trouble started when the authorities discovered that majority of the students had not paid the new fee. This made the management to issue a statement directing students to pay the whole amount before writing their second semester exams.

The students rejected the directive, saying they could not afford the new fee. This led to an outrage among students of the Faculty of Education, who were billed to start their exams last week. Majority of them have not paid the complete fees, and thus were not allowed to write their papers.

Students went on rampage, chanting various solidarity songs to register their displeasure over the fee hike. They besieged the campus, paralysing all activities. During the violent demonstration, staff vehicles, louvres of offices and facilities in the school auditorium were vandalised. A statue at the front of the Faculty of Law was destroyed.

The protesters also tried to vandalise the school’s generator but were repelled by soldiers attached to the school. In the process, the diesel being used to fuel the generating set was spilled by the students. The soldiers, who have been stationed at the school’s main gate since last year, did not fire a shot during the demonstration but prevented the protesters from destroying more property.

Reacting to the protest, the school authorities closed down the institution indefinitely.

Adiele Chidozie Oluwafemi, 400-Level History and International Relations, said: “It is not a thing of joy that the school has been closed down because it is not in anybody’s interest. But, for me, the school should not be opened until the fees are reduced. There has been a steady increase in the school fees over the last four years. When I was admitted, I paid N32,000. Now, they want me to pay N90,000, which is quite unfair. There should be a steady fee, at least, for over the next five years, instead of this obnoxious increment in fees all the time.”

A protester, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “They have been increasing the school fees without anything to show for it. It is not as if there has been a turnaround in the infrastructure the school has; in fact, most of the buildings being put up in the school are either through the Education Trust Funds (ETF) or by private individuals. What are they now doing with the money?”

Some of the protesters felt there should be a complete overhaul in the school administrative system. Chidiebere Mbataku, 300-Level student, said: “I am one of the student leaders and, as it stands now, we are angry with the Vice-Chancellor and Governor Theodore Orji. When did it become a crime to go to school? Are we going to kill ourselves because we attend ABSU? Even if they re-open the school, there is no assurance that we will still not go on protest because what all students are saying is that management should revert the school fees to 50,000. That is all we want.”

For Ogechi Iroha, ABSU management has overstepped its bounds and “we also want to show them that they can’t get away with the increment this time around.”

The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the University Mr Acho Elendu did not pick calls and reply text messages when our correspondent contacted him.

October 25, 2012
UNIABUJA, BSU and undergrads’ plight

Two issues will engage my attention this week because of the repercussions they have for both present and past undergraduates of the University of Abuja and the Benue State University (BSU), Makurdi which has to do with the controversy surrounding the accreditation of certain courses. Last month, the Special Visitation Panel set up for the University of Abuja by the Federal Government recommended that unaccredited courses currently being run in the 24-year old institution be discontinued. This, according to Mr Theo Chike Osanakpo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Chairman of the 45-member panel, is against the backdrop that they did not follow laid down rules and guidelines.

Some of the UniAbuja unaccredited courses are Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and Engineering which were established in 2005 against the advice of the National Universities Commission (NUC). If the recommendation is accepted and implemented, it would invalidate the certificates of many graduates of the institution, while some of the students currently studying at the school may have to seek transfer to other schools. The big question will remain what happens to those that have already graduated if their certificates are invalidated for an action that is totally not of their making?

The situation in BSU is quite different, in 2003, the College of Health Sciences of the institution was established, and eight years down the line it is yet to be accredited by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN). The Teaching Hospital, which is one of the core conditions for the establishment of the college, is still under construction and the university managed to only get the accreditation for pre-clinical courses in 2005. This development has delayed the graduation of pioneer students, and has kept others in the college without promotion to another level of study. While trying to get accreditation, authorities of the college were said to have merged students in higher levels in order to admit fresh ones. The failure of subsequent accreditation exercises led to the accumulation of batches of students in 400-Level since they could not proceed any further. There are presently about three batches of 400-Level students’ saturated at the top.

In order to know where they stand, medical Students of BSU in February this year besieged the Benue State Government House to register their frustration over the inability of the government to prevail on the accreditation body to certify the courses. But eight months after reassurances from the government that the hospital will be ready in time for accreditation, the students’ patience has been stretched to the limit as they barricaded the two entrances to the College in their bid to drive home their point which forced the authorities to send them on a two week “vacation” to enable the management “sort out the problems.”

The MDCN, on its part, has threatened to close down the college if it is not invited by BSU management for accreditation. Whichever way we look at it, it is apparent that students may spend 10 years and above for a five or six years course because certain policies were not adequately thought through by those in authority before implementation. What, one may be tempted to ask, is the rush to establish a medical college which has to pass through stringent accreditation because of clinical issues when proper feasibility studies with timeline are not adhered to? Medicine is not a course that should be treated like others because human lives are involved here and prospective Doctors must be adequately trained psychologically, mentally and academically for the challenges of the profession. What manner of Doctors are we training when they spend the better time of their studies agitating for accreditation?

Back to UniAbuja; the panel, in its report, observed that many of the facilities in the institution are unbefitting for any university as only six percent of the institution’s master plan has been achieved; the master plan ought to be fully attained by 2025. Let’s hear the Chairman on this: “Having done an overhaul of the entire programmes in the institution, our findings and recommendations to government is that programmes that are not duly approved for the university should not be run by the university. Besides that, we also looked at governance and administration, we x-rayed the administration starting from the first Vice-Chancellor Isa Mohammed through to the current Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adelabu and we also looked at governance by the respective governing councils from inception till date.”

Armed with this the panel declared that financial mismanagement and administrative lapses contributed to failures at the institution. The panel’s audit showed that the university has received N35 billion in incomes since 1988, but found that sound accounting was lacking at the school and that “financial prudence must be enthroned in the University of Abuja” as it noted that “the university’s vice chancellor was not being adequately benchmarked by the governing council.” It lamented the situation of the school, stating that it suffers from a deficiency in governance structure, which has negatively impacted the growth of the institution which it blamed on poor governance structure and the financial impropriety in the institution which is the bane of its growth.

In the wake of its investigation of projects at the institution, the panel also described the mini campus was “a mockery of the university system”, because it didn’t have hostels, the facilities were poor, lecturers did not have space and students did not have any sporting facilities. Yet this is a university that has consistently admitted students to study capital intensive courses like Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and Engineering without the requisite equipment and facilities to back it up.

Even if it’s only on paper, I’m pleased that the Minister of Education, Prof Ruqayyatu Rufa’i said government was “disturbed by systemic rot (at UniAbuja) and the failure of its (accessory organs) to discharge their roles of repositioning the university.” She should go beyond this and ensure that the students are transferred to other institutions if it becomes apparent that the courses will not be accredited, the same goes for BSU students.

I’ve written in the past that the hub of any industrial and economic development of a nation is its education through which the citizenry could harness the material and human resources for nation building. For Nigeria to achieve its vision of becoming “one of the leading 20 largest economies in the world by the 2020,” the nation must be able to harness the potentials inherent in its creative and resourceful citizens and not continue to pay lip service to an important and critical sector like education.

This is the main reason why particular attention should be paid to the nation’s university system, given that universities are established for the generation of new knowledge to support economic growth and competitiveness. Nigeria, no doubt, has remained largely a consumer nation because of lack of skilled manpower and commitment of the government to invest in the right type of education. A situation where students spend more than 10 years for a five years course with no clue whether they will graduate is psychologically traumatizing, both for the students and their parents or guardians.

We are living in a rapidly changing world where knowledge is fast becoming one of the most important and prized commodity for advancement to the detriment of natural resources in its raw form. The onus is on the government to explore avenues where our universities are encouraged to fast track the establishment of Entrepreneurship Study Centres which was first mooted in 2006 as a direct response to the need to impart entrepreneurial skill to undergraduates in universities across the country, not only to ensure self-reliance but to also provide basic skills for optimal performance in the workplace and beyond.

October 25, 2012
Varsity gets SUG leaders

The members of the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), who were recently elected, have been inaugurated. The SUG officials led by Osifo Osasere were sworn in last week in a ceremony held at the varsity’s Central Administrative Building.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Osayuki Oshodin, who came in the company of other principal officers of the university, assured the union leaders of his administration support. The oath of office was administered on the officials by Chief Magistrate Nosa Musor, who represented the Chief Judge of Edo State.

Other members of the SUG leaders sworn in are Margaret Odia, Vice President, Hope Osarodion, Attorney-General, Suleman Aliyu, Secretary General, Peter Okolie, Assistant Secretary General, Osariemen Okuonghae, Director of Welfare, Emmanuel Ogbomon, Director of Information, Simon Peter, Director of Finance, Sylvester Baye-Osagie, Director of Sports and Adegbenga Adeleye, Director of Socials.

Members of the parliament of the union also elected their principal officers. Godfrey Ameh became the Speaker while Donald Abuah became the Deputy Speaker. Others are Valentine Ikediashi, Clerk, Chinwe Odiaka, Deputy Clerk and Godwin Eromosele, Chief Whip.

October 25, 2012
A memory forever

While serving in Borno State in 2009, Miss Grace Ushang Adie, who was a graduate of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), was murdered by suspected members of Boko Haram sect. She was shot in broad daylight.

Pained by the circumstance surrounding the killing of the promising Corps member, members of the UNICAL alumni, under the leadership of Kennedy Dike, held a memorial lecture in her memory.

Held last week, the lecture was the second edition. The programme took place at the new Senate Chamber. It was graced by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof James Epoke and Pro-Chancellor Dr Roland Ehigeamosea.

Others in attendance were Appolo Goma, who chaired the event; Prof Austin Obiekezie, Deputy VC (Academics); his Administration counterpart, Prof James Utsalo; Dr Julia Omang, Registrar; Dr Chike Ekeokpara, member of council; Dr Ezi Ihiegbunam, who represented the Ministry of Education; Prof A. E. Odock and Mr Okorile Okorile, head of Calabar chapter of the alumni body and members of the deceased’s family.

That Corps members serving their father land become victims of brutality, Dike said, showed that ethnic hostility was rife in the country. He stressed the need for government to strengthen security in the North and protect the lives of Nigerians, who dwell in rural areas.

Ehigeamosea said unless the security agencies were ready to guarantee the security of Corps members in the troubled states of the North, the youths should not be mobilised to northern states. He urged the Federal Government to arrest the violence against the defenceless youths.

While paying tribute to the deceased, Epoke observed that members of the Governing Council temporarily suspended their meeting to attend the memorial lecture. He praised the alumni for remembering their fallen colleague, who fell to criminals’ bullet in Maiduguri.

The guest lecturer and chairman of Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Dr Sam Amadi, who graduated from the university, noted that Nigeria was not yet a liberal state. He said Grace was a victim of mutual distrust between ethnic nationalities in the country. He decried the growing threat of religious fanatism among Christians and Muslims, querying the impact of religion in contemporary Nigeria.

Amadi urged politicians to dissociate religion from governance, saying it was the only solution to curb the menace of fanatism in the system.

Ray Adie, the elder brother of the deceased, told the gathering that the National Assembly members passed a resolution to compensate the family, but said nothing had come from the chambers. He eulogised his late sister through a poem, which reads: Don’t blunt at my grave and weep; I am the gentle showers of rain. I am the spark of light of the night; I am in a quiet room where there is not trouble. Do not stand at my grave and weep for I am out there and I do not die.

Maxwell Ebe, National Secretary of the alumni association, gave the closing remark. The programme was preceded by a tour to the site of the one-storey alumni building. Dike charged the members to put resources together in order to complete the building before next year’s meeting.

October 25, 2012
Drama as student puts to bed in hostel

How did a student give birth in a hostel? This was the question many asked when a student delivered a seven months old pregnancy last week at the Federal Polytechnic, Oko. When students got to know what was happening, they rushed to the hostel to confirm the “unbelievable story”.

The mother of the baby is an ND I student in the School of Business.

A student in HND II, who claimed to have witnessed the delivery, told CAMPUSLIFE: “I was in my room when I heard the scream of students from other rooms. I ran out to know what was going on. When I got to the room, I was surprised with what I saw. The placenta was dangling and the baby was crying which shows that the girl was standing while delivering the baby.”

The source said the mother of the baby confessed to have used a drug to remove the pregnancy but it did not work.

The source added: “The girl confessed that she took various abortifacients but each time she took the drugs, the foetus refused to go. She admitted to have gone to many places for proper abortion but she was asked to pay between N40,000 and N50,000, which she could not afford. She told us that she went to see a nurse who injected her. She said it was the last medication that actually pushed the pregnancy, resulting to the birth of the premature baby.”

Another student, who witnessed the incident, explained that when the student arrived from the nurse’s place, she was restless and her roommate suspected something was wrong with her.

“Her roommate discovered that she was restless and sweating profusely. They asked her what went wrong but she replied she was okay. They left the room only to return to see a baby crying on the floor while other students struggled to separate the placenta,” the student said.

CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the mother and the baby were immediately taken to Oko Community Hospital. Her family members were reached immediately. When our correspondent got to the hospital, a doctor, who declined to say his name, said the baby had been placed in an incubator.

October 25, 2012
Achieving growth through Free Markets and Justice

For African countries to achieve prosperity and economic growth, the concept of free market must be the cardinal point of their economic policies.

This view is contained in a book presented, last week, by African Liberty Organisation (ALO) in conjunction with the Network for Free Society and Atlas Economic Research Foundation, a United States-based global network.

The 129-page book, entitled Free Markets and Justice and forwarded by Nigeria’s former Minister of Solid Minerals and World Bank’s Vice President Mrs Obiageli Ezekwesili, was unveiled at Aduke-Thomas, Oshodi office of ALO. It is an African version of The Morality of Capitalism written by Dr Tom Palmer, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, which was geared towards educating students on benefits of capitalism.

According to Mrs Ezekwesili, a World Bank research carried out in over 100 countries over the last 30 years showed that economic freedom, civil and political liberties are the reason some countries achieve and sustain better economic outcomes while others do not.

She said freedom to produce, to trade or to consume goods or services that one acquired without the use of force, fraud or theft was one of the characteristics in African countries that achieved prosperity in recent times. She said failed policies that caused the famine in Somalia and governance challenges that created the precursor to the policies were similar in outcome to ones that engendered bad governance, corruption and armed conflict.

Mrs Ezekwesili posited: “The freedom from regulation or other dictates from government or the authorities in economic matters make the capitalist system of economic freedom a means for efficient allocation of resources. Economic freedom helps countries to produce the right leadership and good governance. It helps to achieve inclusive growth and, above all, economic freedom helps citizens remain at the centre of every economic activity.”

In his paper entitled Looking for Answers to Economic Growth, the publisher of the book and Director of Outreach, ALO, Mr Adedayo Thomas, noted that socialists often criticise the concepts of capitalism and free market as an amoral economic system because of the magnitude of prosperity individuals could achieve with their ability.

Thomas said: “Far from being an amoral ideology, capitalism is highly structured by ethical norms and rules, which reject looting and grabbing of wealth common in socialism and communism.”

He said most African countries including Nigeria practise “crony” capitalism, which was why there had not been any meaningful development in Africa. “In Nigeria today, if you know the president or governors, you will be given concession to manage any privatised government enterprise even if you are not competent; this is not capitalism, rather it is this kind of crony or phony capitalism that is putting capitalism in bad light,” Thomas said.

He added that the book, which is divided into four sections with 13 chapters, contains workable solutions that could catapult many underdeveloped African nations from the realm of the third world to first world nations.

Palmer noted that the market system referred not just to exchange of goods and services, which had been existing from time immemorial, but also to the system of innovation, wealth creation and social change that has brought to billions of people prosperity that was unimaginable to earlier generations.

While reviewing the book, Alhaji Alowonle Jimoh, a US-based business man, said the book, apart from being a guide to political leaders, should be made available to students of Economics in secondary schools and higher institutions. The book was presented by Hon. Sunday Akinwale, a liberalism advocate.

Participants at the programme included professionals from private organisations, government officials, business men, students and Corps members.

October 25, 2012
Economics students visit EFCC, ministry

About 60 students of Economics of Ekiti State University (EKSU) visited Abuja on a four-day educational excursion last week. The students were accompanied by two of their lecturers, Dr J.O. Tawose and Mr S.O. Mojeed.

The students, who were billed to visit the Abuja branch of the World Bank, could not embark on the trip due to the journey stress. However, about 25 of them visited the bank. They were received by the bank’s officials, who conducted them round the premises.

Folakemi Alomilagba, 100-Level student, said: “It is my first visit to the northern part of the country. I am looking forward to a memorable visit to the designated offices.”

The following day, all roads led to the Federal Ministry of Finance on a courtesy call on the minister. They were, however, received by a senior Director in the ministry, Hajia Binta Bello. The students had two hours session with the official, who briefed them on the fiscal policy of the Federal Government.

On the same day, the students stopped at headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), where they were received by the officials in the Public Relations department. The students were told the modus operandi of the commission. They were given branded souvenirs of the commission.

The students also visited Kubwa camp of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and the headquarters of the Central Bank of Nigeria before they returned to Ekiti. The President of the Economic Students’ Association, Adewale Adeyemo, thanked his colleagues for their co-operation during the trip. He also appreciated the management of the university for its support.

October 18, 2012
Campus journalists honour Tinubu

Participants at the Conference of Campus Journalists, which was held for a week at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), honoured the National Leader of Action Congress of Nigerian (ACN), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his contribution to the promotion of freedom in Nigeria.

The programme, hosted by the university’s chapter of the Association of Campus Journalists (ACJ), was held at the Oduduwa Hall.

A welcoming programme was held the first day for participants and the invited guests. They were taken round the campus on a tour of places such as the new museum.

Mr Sunday Akere, Osun State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, gave the opening address.

In her address, Mrs Tosin Dokpesi, of African Independent Television (AIT), who was represented by Don Pedro Obaseki, counseled the audience on the ethics of journalism.

“Journalists are the very few ones who are being persecuted for what they do. Those of you present here, today, note that journalism is not an interesting profession where you will relax and fold your arms as things unfold,” he said.

Seye Kehinde, the publisher of City People magazine, who spoke on social aspect of journalism and its effect on the society, described journalists as less-social individuals but key instruments of the society.

The Special Guest of Honour, former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was represented by Mr Sam Omatseye, the Chairman of The Nation’s Editorial Board.

In his address, Omatseye narrated how he started as a campus journalist in his undergraduate days at OAU.

The ACJ Staff Adviser, Dr. Funsho Adesola, presented the Man of the Year Award to Tinubu. The plaque was received by Omatseye, who thanked the association for the honour bestowed on the ACN leader.

Tunji Awe, president of the ACJ, Ekiti State University, told CAMPUSLIFE that the conference, though the first of its kind, was a success. He hoped the agenda of the congress would be achieved through consistency of the programme.

Also at the event were campus journalists from the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), University of Ibadan (UI) and Lagos State University (LASU).

October 18, 2012
Protest rocks Benue varsity

Nine years after the College of Health Sciences of the Benue State University (BSU) took off, the College of Medicine is yet to be accredited by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN). The Teaching Hospital is still under construction.

Although medical programmes were introduced in 2003, the university managed to get the accreditation for pre-clinical courses two years later.

The MDCN has threatened to close down the college if it is not invited by BSU management for accreditation.

There has been a series of protests by medical students over the issue.

CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the development has delayed the graduation of pioneer students, and has kept others in the college without promotion to another level of study. Also, it was learnt that the authorities of the college, while trying to get accreditation, had to merge students in higher levels in order to admit fresh ones.

In February, the aggrieved medical students besieged the Benue State Government House to register their frustration over the inability of the government to prevail on the accreditation body to certify the programmes.

Clad in their white medical laboratory coats, the students, who were led by the immediate past president of Benue State University Medical Students’ Association (BESUMSA), Innocent Abah, blocked various entrances to the Government House.

The Chief Security Officer (CSO) to Governor Gabriel Suswam, who met the students, said the governor was not in town. He advised the students to return to the college, promising to notify them whenever the governor returned. The students were adamant, insisting on waiting at the entrances for as long as it took the governor to return.

Later, the CSO returned and led the students into the Banquet Hall of the Government House where the Deputy Governor, Chief Steven Lawani, spoke to them on behalf of Suswam.

Abah told the deputy governor that his colleagues were “depressed, unfocused and frustrated” over the inability of the university to get accreditation for its medical programmes.

Responding, Lawani told the students that the government was aware of what could happen if the Teaching Hospital was not ready on time and, had, therefore, given more attention to the project.

He said no one was more anxious to see the Teaching Hospital completed than Suswam. He assured the students that the government would not rest on its oars until the hospital was completed.

However, about eight months after, the Teaching Hospital is yet to be accredited. The development made the medical students to troop out last Wednesday to protest the inability of the state government and university authorities to fulfil their promises.

The students barricaded the two entrances into the college, insisting they must have collective audience with the Vice-Chancellor, the Provost of the college, the Chief Medical Director of the Teaching Hospital and Suswam.

A drama ensued when the VC, Prof Charity Angya, came to address the students. She was ignored by the students. She left and later came with the Provost, Prof Shima Gyoh, Chief Medical Director, Prof Orkurga Malu, and the Secretary to the State Government, Dr David Salifu.

The officials were booed by the aggrieved students, who insisted on seeing either Suswam or his deputy in person. The blockade continued on Thursday, paralysing activities in the college.

Arising from an emergency meeting last weekend, the university Senate directed the medical students to proceed on two weeks break to enable the management “sort out the problems.” Addressing the students, shortly after the meeting, Gyoh assured them that the management would do everything needed to enable it secure accreditation for the Teaching Hospital. He said the state government had provided resources to get the hospital ready.

Speaking on the development, Usha Anenga, a 400-Level student, who claimed to have been in the college for nine years, criticised the management for not sympathising with the students. He said students had always foreseen the failure of past accreditation visits. He accused the authorities of ignoring warnings by students in the past over the non-completion of the hospital for accreditation.

BESUMSA president Kawen Pededo, a 400-Level student, said his colleagues demanded to have audience with the governor because of the need to ensure the hospital did not fail the accreditation when the officials of MDCN visit the college again.

The College of Health Sciences, since inception, has only been able to secure the accreditation of a course — preclinical course. The failure of subsequent accreditation exercises led to the accumulation of batches of students in 400-Level.

The MDCN officials visited the college in June but they were not satisfied with what they saw. The body gave the college six months to fix some areas it found lacking. The deadline is approaching, and the fear of what might happen if the college fails again gripped the students. This made them to embark on the protest.

Following the directive that students should proceed on a break, the university authorities invited policemen to ensure compliance. At the time of filing this report, however, students were still in the hostels, insisting nobody could force them to leave during the break.

October 18, 2012