Tag: FUTA

Members of non-teaching staff at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) have staged a peaceful protest to demand the release of their four months’ salaries withheld by the federal government since 2022.

The protesters led by the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (SSANU) did a sit-out at the entrance gate of the institution.

They carried placards and chanted solidarity songs along the Akure-Ibadan highway but did not obstruct the flow of traffic.

Inscriptions on the placards read: “FG we are hungry,” “No double standard, pay us our withered salaries.” “FG, stop victimizing SSANU, non-teaching staff.” “Pay a living wage to workers as promised.”

Chairman of Joint Negotiating Council (JAC) FUTA, Comrade Felix Adubi, said the protesting unions could no longer guarantee industrial harmony in Nigerian universities.

Comrade Adubi said only one union was paid out of the four unions that went on strike in 2022 and whose salaries were withheld.

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He said: “The divide and rule system of government is not acceptable to us. We are calling on Mr. President to make good his promise. We are pleading with Mr. President to do the needful before the final straw.

“Mr. President has promised there will be no crisis in the Nigeria Universities. We can no longer guarantee industrial harmony if Mr. President fails to do the needful.”

History was made at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) recently, when the pioneer students of its Open and Distance Learning Programme (ODLP) were welcomed into the institution at the matriculation presided over by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Adenike Oladiji.

The Registrar, Mr. Charles Adeleye, administered the oath of matriculation on the 38 students admitted for the Computer Science programme of the centre after their presentation by the Director, Prof. Felix Alao.

The VC underscored the significance of the occasion, saying the participants were witnesses to an historical event, which had broaden the reach of the university.

“I am very glad to be part of this historic event. It is yet another giant step in the mandate of FUTA at making knowledge accessible to as many people as are eligible and willing to be part of the FUTA community,” the vice chancellor said.

Prof. Oladiji said the programme is a veritable window of opportunity for students to pursue their dreams and aspiration to attain any academic height. She assured the students of quality learning, “as FUTA is the best university of technology in Nigeria, a position it has maintained for the past two decades.” According to her, as Computer Science students, opportunities to make impact in the society are almost limitless, “because we now live in a world ruled by Information and Communication Technology.”

Prof. Oladiji advised the students to stay focused “and success will in no distance time be achievable.”

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She appealed to them to be of good conduct so as not to put the good image of FUTA in bad light and jeopardise their studentship.

She said although the programme was hybrid in nature, meaning physical and mostly virtual interactions, the certificate would be the same with the one awarded to regular physical students.

She urged the students not to be too idealistic and advised them to moderate their expectations from the management with respect to what should be provided. She appealed to them to always reach mutual understanding in demands if the need ever arises.

She reserved special commendation for the Director, ODLP, Prof. Felix Alao, for his efforts and leadership attributes.

Pioneer students of the Open and Distant Learning programme of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) have matriculated.

The matriculation was presided over by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Adenike Oladiji, while the Registrar, Charles Adeleye, administered the oath of matriculation on the 38 students.

The students will be studying Computer Science.

The Vice Chancellor underscored the significance of the occasion, saying participants were witnesses to an historical event which has broadened the university’s reach.

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She said: “I am glad to be part of this historic event. It is yet another giant step in the mandate of FUTA at making knowledge accessible to as many people as are eligible and willing to be part of the FUTA community.”

Prof. Oladiji assured the students of quality learning as ‘FUTA is the best University of Technology in Nigeria, a position it has maintained for the past two decades’.

Students of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) have appealed to the federal government and management of the institution to revert to the old tuition fees.

The students, who staged a peaceful protest, vowed not to end the protest until the management heeded their appeal.

They blocked the entrance gate with placards and prevented any entry or exit from the institution.

President of the FUTA Student Union Government, Comrade Olayemi Oluwasoromidayo, said the protest was the last option after several meetings with the management.

Oluwasoromidayi said the school’s management refused to yield to their demands, hence they decided to stage the protest.

He said tuition fee increments have become incessant in the institution.

Oluwasoromidayo stated that the management increased the tuition fees to over N200,000 naira for freshers and N130,000 for old students.

The school management responded to the protest by postponing the resumption date of new students for the 2023/2024 academic session as well as ordering the students to vacate campus within 24 hours.

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It also put on hold the registration of returning students via the University portal and payment of fees by all returning students for the new academic session.

The spokesman for FUTA, Adegbenro Adebanjo, in a statement, said the proposed new fees were mainly for student-related services which are sourced from the economy.

The statement said the costs of such goods and services provided by the University for the students would certainly be impacted by the costs of goods and services in the economy.

The statement said: “To ensure the smooth running of the University, certain consumables and payments for municipal services such as electricity, water, hostel maintenance and cleaning and sundry other services are necessary and the costs of providing the services have shot up and the new charges are in response to this.

“Other costs that were adjusted as a result of economic reality include medical examination for all new students, Biometric ID cards and Tertiary Institutions Students Health Insurance Programme TISHIP administered by NHIS for students and final yearbook.

It is important to say that Tuition is free and no money is being charged as a tuition fee

“The Management reiterates that tuition remains free for all students and that it has an inbuilt mechanism within the system to look into and build consensus on matters affecting students including fees. And that mechanism is working on this matter and consensus will be achieved.”