FIGHTING FOR STUDENTS RIGHTS IS NOT ONLY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF STUDENTS LEADERS

In recent times, there have been numerous pronouncements and write-ups in the media that students leaders have become rude and arrogant through their utterances and actions in their bid to react to certain issues concerning the poor students of this State of Osun and Nigeria at large.

The National Association of Nigerian Students Joint Campus Committee Osun Axis hereby uses this medium to speak on speculations of increase in the facility user fees in the State owned institutions. 

Just like the beginning of every academic year, students are faced with the same problem of increment of their tuition fees. In this regard,  student leaders have to battle it out through a series of press conferences, meetings with institutional authorities who to some extent, are undemocratic in their dealings with student leaders.

In a State where her general economic situation is so poor and worker’s are placed on half salaries either "agreed upon" or not. Where on earth can the students afford to pay the proposed and speculated fees?

The decisions of the Government and Management with vigorous clarity show that students are always up to mischief. The NANS/JCC Osun conveniently separated the tuition fees and other charge-components of the fees from that have been doubled in most cases, apparently to justify its description of student pronouncements as insincere and indecorous.

As for goodwill, this Government and the Management have been beneficiaries of the limitless goodwill from students. There have been several cases of administrative highhandedness on the part of the authorities on our campuses that could have generated unrest in some academic jurisdictions but this same student leaders who had allegedly been accused of being rude and arrogant have resisted the temptation to do so as a gesture of goodwill which has hardly been reciprocated. Rather than hurriedly stamping students with a badge of insincerity and indecorum, the general public ought to show understanding and support for a matter that threatens the very core of all our developmental processes.

This problem or argument should not be based on the percentage of increment but affordability looking at the amount to be paid and the financial capabilities or the salary levels of our parents and guardians who are receiving poverty alleviation loans from the government, which means that our parents are not financially empowered enough to fend for their families or simply they are poor. 

Also, where lays  constitutional provision of Chapter 2, article 18, Section  

(1) Government shall direct its policy towards ensuring that there are equal and adequate educational opportunities at all levels.

(2) Government shall promote science and technology

(3) Government shall strive to eradicate illiteracy; and to this end Government shall as and when practicable provide

(a) free, compulsory and universal primary education;

(b) free secondary education;

(c) free university education; and

(d) free adult literacy programme. 

I was totally shocked when I came across this clause in the constitution and asked myself if our parliamentarians are aware of this or is it because they are enjoying so many privileges from this same constitution, which enables them to pay the fees of their children they have forgotten about some of their prime role, which is making sure that government and institutional policies are all geared towards achieving our constitutional provision of this country. I am therefore disappointed in our parliament because this clause exist since 1999 and we have been having increment of tertiary institutions fees over the years and there have never been any collectively reaction of parliament against the ugly trends.

Am also baffled about the ruling government who profess to be the government of the people and believes in the rule of law (no doubt about it) but how can this same government accept and engineer policies that will agitate for full cost recovery because I suspect strongly that the annual ritual of increasing fees is in gratification of the worn-out platform of the full cost recovery which has widely been discredited on the basis of the incapability with Osun socio-economic circumstances.

Again, taking decisions that affects students without consultation with the  predicated on the erroneous assumption that they are young and irrational.

This is presumption, undemocratic and unusual for a State that hinges its future prosperity and survival on a well motivated and educated youth. An educational system that places emphasis on academic excellence much to the neglect of the strong leadership orientation will certainly fall short of the labour requirements of an increasing competitive world.

To conclude, we are more concern about the immediate reversal of the fees, *as  injury to one is injury to all and what goes around equally comes around*.

We therefore use this medium to call on the entire students of Osun State irrespective of your ideological organisation,  political affiliation, and media  to add their voices to the crusade to fight for the constitutional rights of the students.

Signed.

Miftah Saheed Taiwo

NANS/JCCC Chairman Osun