Oyo and Osun states have agreed to sustain their joint ownership of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso. But many questions still agitate the minds of stakeholders in the area of funding. BISI OLADELE writes that while Osun State is accused of owing 15 months subvention, the recent decision of the Oyo State Government to reduce subvention to its tertiary institutions by 75 per cent may complicate the uncertainty of funding for the 26-year-old institution
The agreement reached by Oyo and Osun state governments in Ibadan on Wednesday to sustain joint ownership of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso came as a soothing balm for many stakeholders.
The latest decision is expected to ease agitations by indigenes of Ogbomoso and many others in Oyo State for Osun State to cede the institution to Oyo for sole ownership.
But some stakeholders are unsure if the mere pronouncement of the decision will placate the striking workers who are protesting non-payment of salaries as well as indigenes who believe that the joint ownership structure will continue to jeopardise efficiency at LAUTECH.
The Oyo State Government had, last month, announced its decision to slash subventions to its tertiary institutions by 75 per cent. The decision came as a blow to some key players in the higher education sector.
The government, in a letter dated September 20, informed chief executives of the institutions that no institution should expect subvention either in arrears or in the future.
Explaining the rationale behind the decision, Governor Abiola Ajimobi, in an interaction with reporters at the Ajayi Crowther University (ACU), Oyo, said the decision was necessitated by the current financial constraints, need to plug loopholes and stimulate creativity in managers of the institutions.
According to him, the government would continue to support the institutions with 25 per cent subventions as a sign of its commitment to their well-being.
His words: “The country is experiencing dwindling oil revenue which has affected virtually all aspects of our socio-economic life and we are unable to really cope.
“Education is participatory. It is not for the government alone or for the government alone to pay for education. We believe that parents, teachers and everybody must participate…Nigerians must contribute to education and the development of our children.”
He also pointed out that managers of the institutions need to work hard to plug leakages and be creative in serving their communities.
“We have not cancelled subventions completely. We have reduced it from 100 per cent to 25 per cent.
“Education is not absolutely free. Nothing is absolutely free.”
The decision came at a time when agitations by indigenes of the host town, Ogbomoso, for sole ownership of LAUTECH by Oyo State were high.
Their agitations were based on the alleged failure of the Osun State Government to fulfill its financial obligations to the institution.
The indigenes posited that the problem has constantly led to the inability of LAUTECH to pay salaries regularly thereby leading to workers’ strikes and obstruction of school calendar. The students, they claim, bear the consequence even as the quality of teaching and learning in such an environment becomes questionable.
Leading the agitation was the Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Oyewumi, who, in newspaper advertorial, advanced reasons why Osun State should cede full ownership of the institution to Oyo State.
Members of the apex socio-cultural organisation in the town, Ogbomoso Parapo, also staged a protest against the decay at LAUTECH owing to alleged failure of Osun State to meet its financial obligations.
To crown the agitation, on September 22, some members of the Oyo State House of Assembly moved a motion seeking full ownership of the institution by Oyo State.
The motion was sponsored by the lawmaker representing Ogbomoso North, Olawumi Oladeji and nine other lawmakers.
In the motion entitled: “Reviewing the Joint Ownership of LAUTECH: A Step Towards Sole Ownership by Oyo State Government,” Oladeji noted that the Oyo State Government has been trying its best to ensure sustainability of the high standard of education which the university is known for through its commitment to fulfilling its own part of the financial obligations.
“We are concerned about the persistent crisis in the university due to default in payment of salaries of members of staff of the university as and when due. Cumulatively, Osun State Government owes 15 months’ arrears of salaries of members of staff as at September this year.
“Consequent upon this, members of staff of the university had embarked on an indefinite strike which has paralysed all activities in the university. It should be noted that if the industrial action persists for too long, it may spell doom for the existence and growth of the university,” she said.
The motion reads in part: “That Oyo State Government should demonstrate and be concerned about the sole ownership of the university since the Government of Osun State has consistently failed to honour its own financial obligation.
“In view of the fact that Osun State cannot meet up with its obligations as regards the sustenance of the university, the House should urge it to hands off from the running of the university and allow Oyo State Government to take sole ownership.”
In his submission, the Speaker Hon. Michael Adeyemo, said the House needed to revisit the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two states and which was passed into law on October 23, 2010.
However, the alumni association of LAUTECH condemned the agitations, saying they (agitations) were against the spirit of brotherliness that was the foundation for the joint ownership.
In a September 24 statement signed by its National President, Jide Bewaji, the association said the Assembly should have lent its voice to that of those calling for the resolution of the crisis that has engulfed the institution.
As divergent positions by stakeholders raged, thugs allegedly invaded the university campus on September 27 and beat up some indigenes of Osun State who are members of staff.
But the Ogbomoso Parapo (home branch) dissociated itself from sponsoring any form of attack on members of staff of the institution.
In a press release signed by its Chairman and Secretary, Messrs Saka Bello and Tunde Afolabi respectively, the organisation said: “We state unequivocally that Ogbomoso Parapo (home branch) was not involved in the purported attack by thugs on members of staff of LAUTECH who are of Osun State origin as reported by some dailies recently. Neither was the association party to it nor sponsored any such thing.”
According to the organisation, its involvement in the LAUTECH saga is not because the university is located in Ogbomoso but because of the overall interest of the university.
“We state that our incessant outcry over the matter because of our genuine concern over the gradual decay being witnessed in the institution.
“The university had been closed down since early June over matters connected with funding and non-payment of workers’ salaries. The strike is in its seven month,” it stated.
But with the possibility of LAUTECH being ceded to Oyo State in the future, some stakeholders are already raising concern over funding, given the new decision by the state government to reduce subventions to 25 per cent.
One of them is the Joint Action Forum of Academic Staff Union of Oyo State-owned tertiary institutions (JAFAS) which described government’s decision as unacceptable.
JAFAS said the idea, which is being allegedly test-run at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), would certainly throw many students out of school due to high school fees.
In a communique issued at the end of its meeting at the Emmanuel Alayande College of Education (EACOED), Oyo, JAFAS called for reversal of the policy.
The communique was signed by the chairmen and secretaries of the academic unions at LAUTECH, EACOED, Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology (OYSATECH), Igbo-Ora, Ibarapa Polytechnic, Oke-Ogun Polytechnic and College of Education, Lanlate.
It reads inter alia: “The position of the government on the stoppage of subventions to tertiary institutions is unacceptable.
“That this ‘commodification’ of education is the surest way of producing an army of illiterates who are surely to be thrown out of schools as a result of their parents’ inability to pay school fees, which could be as high as 350,000 per student per session.
“Members equally noted that the policy is a surreptitious sale of public institutions to private hands.”
Reacting, the Oyo State Government described JAFAS’ statement as pre-emptive, stating that the government has not made policy pronouncements on some of the issues raised.
The Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Toye Arulogun, said the state government said reduction in subventions to tertiary institutions was discussed with the head of the institutions, stressing that the government is still consulting with them to achieve a seamless education calendar run for tertiary institutions.
“Rather than going to the pages of newspapers to express displeasure on some of government actions in the education sector, JAFAS should have sent a memorandum to the Education Reform Committee when it called for such, instead of misleading the public about the contents of the yet-to-be-made-public report,” the government spokesman said.
As the two governors have resolved the joint ownership crisis, what is the future of the institution with regard to funding? This and many more questions in the minds of students, members of staff and other stakeholders remain unanswered.
