BSU Students Protest School Fees Increament
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Loading ...From Msughshima Andrew, Makurdi
Thousands of students at the Benue State University, BSU, today blocked the school gate in protest over increase in school fees by the school mangement.
247ureports gathered that students of the University, in the early hours of Monday, 21St May 2018, took over the school gate, locked up and displaced the security men manning the main gate of the University, bringing to a halt the inflow and outflow of human and vehicular traffic into the University including Nursery and Primary School pupils.
As early as 6.30am, the protesting students, though not violent, also blocked the Makurdi/Gboko road causing obstruction to vehicular movement.
It took the deployment of security personnel to the school gate to disperse the students and clear the road for both residents and travellers.
Some of the students who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity condemned the action of the school mangement saying increasing school fees by almost 100 per cent I tantamount to being insensitive to the economic plight of both students and parents.
They queried why school management would suddenly hike school fees from N56,000 to N92,000 for same parents who are not receiving salaries on monthly basis saying it will man life more difficult for them.
Meanwhile, in a statement signed by the Acting Registrar, Catherine Terlumun Bur, the school management condemned the protest deacribing it as the handiwork of some unscropulous elements.
“It has come to the attention of Management of Benue State University that some group of miscreants parading themselves as students of the University, in the early hours of Monday 21St May 2018, took over, locked up and displaced the security manning the main gate of the University, bringing to a halt the inflow and outflow of human and vehicular traffic into the University including Nursery and Primary School pupils for reasons yet to be ascertained.”
The statement regretted that the action is particularly worrisome in view of the fact that the University is scheduled to commence accreditation of programmes by the National Universities Commission from Monday 21st May 2018.
Management noted that the University is yet to conduct election into the leadership of the Student Union since the expiration of the tenure of the immediate past Executive Committee and does not have any Student Union leadership currently.
“Management wishes to warn the perpetrators to vacate the gate in their own interest as it will not hesitate to avail itself of lawful means to deal with the situation.
They alao called on parents and guardians to restrain their wards from actions capable of breaching the peace on campus as no student has engaged Management on any grievances whatsoever.
“The University wishes to inform all bonafide students of this institution to go about their registration and other normal academic activities as the First Semester of the 2017/2018 academic session has commenced in earnest.
“For purposes of emphasis, Management hereby reiterates its resolve to ensure that timelines for registration and other activities are strictly observed”.
