LASU FEES: Lecturers complain of victimization

Three months and six days after Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State reverted the Lagos State University, LASU fee from  N350,000 to the old rate of N25,000 across board, the Academic Staff Union of University, ASUU, LASU chapter, yesterday, alleged that lecturers who participated in the agitation against increase in school fees were being victimized by the institution management.

The reversal of the tuition to N25, 000 by Fashola at the 19th convocation of the institution ended several months of agitation from the lecturers and the students. Continue..

The allegation by the lecturers followed the claim made by the students under the aegis of National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, South West on August 25th, 2014 at a courtesy visit to Fashola, led by their chairman, Lagos State, Mr. Yakub Eletu, saying; “Some of the students have been asked to face the senate while some are being denied the opportunity to go for their National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, because they protested over the increase in school fees.”

Speaking exclusively to Vanguard, Chairman of LASU-ASUU, Dr. Idris Adekunle, said “We are victimized because we championed the ASUU-LASU strike which was embarked upon to demand for the reversal to the old school fees and other issues affecting the institution. Aside other lecturers, I, the chairman of LASU-ASUU was also not spared by the institution management.

“And that was why we have scheduled a press briefing for tomorrow to reveal how the institution has victimized the lecturers who participated in the industrial action,” Adekunle added.

It’s not true —LASG

Reacting to the allegations by the lecturers, Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Otunba Fatai Olukoga debunked the allegation, saying “It is not true. The state government and the institution are not victimizing any of those who participated in the protest.

Such allegation, Olukoga said were excuse from the lecturers. They are all fallacy. No one is doing that. The state government cannot single out anyone among the thousands of students and lecturers who agitated for the reversal of the school fees.

“The only person that was in forefront of the agitation was Dr. Adekunle Idris and he was not victimized.

“Even recently when NUC visited the institution and claimed that some of the lecturers could not present accurate documents that would certify their new education title. And they were not victimized for this,” he added.

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