Students block UTME candidates from entering exam centres

Students of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, on Monday 15th of May, morning prevented UTME candidates from gaining access to the school premises.

The candidates were posted to LAUTECH to write their 2017 UTME at different examination venues on campus. According to reports, this move was a a protest action to let everyone know about the problems they are currently experiencing.

The students' move was to block every entrance into the school premises, and prevent the candidates from gaining access.

They didn't stop at that. They also blocked teaching and non-teaching staff from gaining access.

But why?

LAUTECH students haven't had it easy for over a year. They've had to deal with the irresponsibility of the two states managing the school.

In 2016, the school was closed due to strike action by lecturers. That lasted for 8 solid months.

You probably remember the story from the drama that happened between LAUTECH students and the governor of Oyo State, Governor Ajimobi.

The full story is here.

So it looks like things are still not going as smoothly as they should, sadly. We'll bring you more updates as we learn more about this story.

We spoke to a student of Ladoke Akintola University about the current developments:

"Students aren't happy with the current strike in the school. ASUU, NASU and even the Senior Staff Association are all on strike."

In June of 2016, first semesters exams were put on hold because of a strike. Those exams didn't hold until February this year.

"The school calendar says that school resumes on April 17, but nothing has happened since."

And one month later, nothing has happened still.

On Thursday, May 16th, a meeting was called between the House Committee on Education, Science and Technology, the management and staff unions of the university, and the commissioner of Education, Oyo State.

The goal of the meeting was to find a lasting solution to the lingering crisis rocking the school.

According to the report signed by Fajoye Hamzat the SSANU secretary:

"The Vice-Chancellor informed the House that the two owner states government promised to give the university the sum of N592 million which is to be used to pay the staff outstanding salaries of June and July, 2016.

Even with payment of those two months salaries, the management still owed the workers the salaries of August to December, 2016."

At the end of the meeting, the Unions resolved that there would be no work without payment of outstanding salaries.

It looks like the students are going to be idle for a while.

There seems to be no hope.