'We Won’t Resume Until Our Demands Are Met'

Dr Idris ASUU-LASU

Dr. Idris, ASUU-LASU

Sulaimon Mojeed-Sanni

Lecturers at the Lagos State University, LASU,  have vowed not to resume or teach the students of the university until their three demands are met by the Lagos State Government.

The Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU-LASU branch, Dr. Adekunle Idris, who spoke to P.M.NEWS this morning, said the lecturers are not happy keeping the students at home but it behoves on the government to attend to their demands.

The students were directed to resume Monday, 23 June after the government slashed their school fees but nothing seems to be happening at the Ojo main campus of the school as the lecturers have refused to call off their strike.

Dr. Idris, ASUU-LASU
Dr. Idris, ASUU-LASU

Idris insisted that the recent reduction of the school fees by 34%-60% fell short of the demands of the union, which is N50,000 across board.

 He noted that as the conscience of the nation and as parents, ASUU-LASU members feel the school fees are still outrageous.

“As it is known, ASUU-LASU went on strike for three demands. It is not only about school fees and even the school fees demand has not been met. Our demands are reversal of fees, which we later shifted ground and requested for reduction to N50,000 across board; abrogation of no vacancy no promotion policy and implementation of University Miscellaneous Provision Act of 2012.

“Our members did not go to the classroom for these reasons. Our congress will meet specifically tomorrow (Wednesday) to review the fee reduction but the strike continues. The authorities have not taken any action on any of the demands. Right now nobody is talking to ASUU-LASU, the government is not talking to us,” Idris told P.M.NEWS on phone.

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When asked about the fate of students who are ready to resume, he said that lecturers would be in school and carry out community services but would not enter any class to teach. He said students can make use of the library and read on their own.

Commenting on the issue, the Students Union President of LASU, Comrade Nurudeen Yusuf, said the new fees are not acceptable to the students.

“The students are willing to resume but the new fees are not acceptable to us. A situation where Medicine and Law students are to pay N80, 000 for tuition alone, where Communication Students are to pay N60,000, Art and Education to pay N50,000, is not acceptable.

“Our initial argument was what is obtainable in Ekiti State University where students pay the same fees across board, then in their respective faculties, minimal amount can be added as faculty charges,” he said.

ASUU-LASU went on an indefinite strike on 20 May, 2014, due to what it described as unacceptable administrative practices  which include high school fees that it said was having a negative impact on students’ enrolment and academic staff career advancement; non-promotion of many academic staff who are qualified; premature retirement of members of the professional cadre, unkempt campus environment amongst others.

The students on their part staged repeated protests, insisting that the school fees be pegged at N46,500 for returning students and N65, 500 for freshers.

Responding to the demands of the lecturers and students, Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola  approved a 34% – 60% reduction of the fees.

However, the affected parties said the reduction fell below their demands.

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