By Sulaiman Kazeem Steam
July 22, 2018
The present situation of things in LAUTECH demands that all
concerned indigenes of Oyo and Osun States call their representatives and tell
them not to expect their votes in the forthcoming elections, if they fail to
intervene in the crises that has rocked the school for over a decade and may
eventually collapse it totally. After all, sovereignty belongs to the people.
This is no time to rhetorics, fustian and grandiloquence, but a
time to speak truth to authorities and put the records straight. In fact, our
silence in times like this is unjust and a betrayal of the oath we sworn to our
Alma mata.
Once upon a time, Ladoke Akintola University Of Technology,
Ogbomoso had an aura of enviable greatness and was seen as the goose that lays
the golden egg. Today, it has become almost impossible for members of the
public and some stakeholders in the university to unravel the mystery of the
buildup that seems to have enveloped the friendly aura and may eventually
suffocate the entity to death.
Surprisingly, many people did not know that LAUTECH as fondly
called has been on a life support machine for over a decade. Perhaps, this was
immediately after the tenure of Professor Salawu of blessed memories, as Vice Chancellor.
Permit me to also render a silent tribute to Professor Ayeni of blessed
memories. What a combination of one of the brightest minds we have had in the
helms of affairs of LAUTECH.
FYI, the present disheartening situation in the 28 years old
tertiary institution is not only a buildup of leadership failures from the past
to the present handlers of the institutions but it is a deliberate effort from
the ungrateful protégés of the founding fathers of the institution, to relegate
the institution to second division universities and to sabotage the future of
the present students and the alumnus of LAUTECH.
LAUTECH is probably the only State University that is owned by
two sister States and that has increased tuition and other fees for more than
three times in less than a decade. Unfortunately, the unjust increase in
tuition does not commensurate with the development in the school. It is no
fallacy that the handlers of the university are so insensitive, corrupt,
inhumane and bereaved of ideas of how to increase the IGR without increasing
tuition and other fees.
In about a decade ago, the student population in LAUTECH was
above 35,000, the number of applicants for undergraduate admissions in LAUTECH
was presumably more than 30,000, those for Masters Degree was more than 5,000,
those for Predegree Science was more than 7,000, those for Post Graduate
Studies (MBA, PGD, M.Tech, PhD) was more than 10,000, those running part time
studies was more than 5,000, to mention just a few.
Today, I can categorically tell you that the school lost more
than 2,000 students to other universities, during the last over 9 months
industrial action. Presently, the school has less than 4,000 applicants for
undergraduate studies, less than a thousand for PDS - with a majority of them who
were desperate admission seekers, less than a thousand for Masters Degree -
majority of them are B.Tech holders from LAUTECH and Bachelor Degree holders
from Nigeria's second division tertiary institutions. Yes, the situation in my
Alma mata is that heart wrecking.
You don't need a college diploma or a university degree to
understand the situation of things in LAUTECH. You may likely need a calculator
to know that the university can not survive on the lean funds that would be
generated from the incoming admission seekers and the tiny subvention from the
owner States. Disappointingly, the total summation of the proposed exorbitant
tuition can still not run the university independently of the funds from its
owner States. Yes, incessant tuition Increment is totally against the precepts
on which the university was established.
This is a university that was able to manage the excesses of the
leadership of the then Students' Union Government, nurture and model them to
become global shapers in their fields of endeavors. Unfortunately, the same
tertiary institution that recorded the aforementioned feats has been unable to
mediate between different students' interests groups and build a community of
interests. This in itself is a leadership failure on the path of the university
management.
Today, as much as we celebrate those who have made the
university very proud with their innovations and excellent academic records, we
must not fail to shame the university management for the increasing population
of cyber criminals, robbers, members of confraternity, and other societal
wrongs and vices, in the LAUTECH community. After all, LAUTECH is a citadel of
learning. Aside fulfilling the academic requirements to graduate, her graduates
must be found of good characters and morals.
Unfortunately, a school that is practically three sessions or
more behind have decided to increase the tuition by over 200%. This is not just
at the wrong time, but it is a wrong decision aimed at worsening the condition
of the 'surgical patient' and maybe eventually put a nail on its coffin.
The implications of this draconian decision is that, a majority
of the present undergraduate students whom are wards of civil servants who are
owed salaries by their employers and petty traders in the both owner States
would have to drop out, while the privilege ones would rather get their
transcripts and move to a better institution where they can pay slightly higher
than the new tuition in LAUTECH. Don't even think that undergraduate and
graduate admission seekers would pick LAUTECH over better schools, with that
outrageous tuition and poor learning environment.
LAUTECH present 'predicaments' can also be ascribed to 'beneath
the rug' corruption at all the facets in the university and their failure to
generate funds from grants, ventures and so on.
Interestingly, the leadership of Academic Staff Union Of
University, LAUTECH Chapter in their dealings with the university have always
highlighted the importance of creating an enabling teaching and learning
environment for the lecturers and for the students. In fact, they have always
kicked against the push for Increment in student tuition and reiterated the
need for the university management and the owner States to increase the monthly
subvention funds to the university.
Today, there is a need for synergy between these two oppressed
and other Unions like NASU & JAC. This would birth a formidable team that
can resist this present oppression. After all, members of these unions also
have wards in the same university.
YES, THE STUDENTS WOULD REVOLT AGAINST THIS INCREMENT BUT IT'S
UNFORTUNATE THAT THE OWNER STATES WOULD NOT RELEASE FUNDS FOR THE UNIVERSITY,
NOT AT THIS TIME . Instead, we should expect another prolonged shutdown of
academic activities on the university campus, and a resultant increase in the
tuition.
The reality is that the two owner States of LAUTECH, in their
almost 8 years in office, have not done well in the payment of the States
workforce salaries and maybe in delivering sustainable developmental projects
in all the areas of the States. Inarguably, the records are in the public
domain.
In conclusion, there is an urgent need for all interested
stakeholders in LAUTECH, this is to include the leadership of LAUTECH Alumni
Association, past students' leaders, alumnus who are members of staff in the
university, business owners in the Ogbomosho community, traditional leaders,
political leaders and spiritual leaders, to meet and proffer solutions to the
present hurdles, discuss the future of the university and design a timed strategic
plan. Our failure to do this in the nearest possible time would pose a bigger
threat to all of us.
Thank you for reading.
Repost.
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