Federal Government has lifted the suspension earlier placed on four of the programmes of the University of Abuja as a result of protests by students of the university yesterday at the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja. The announcement was made by the Minister of Education, Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa?i. The students stormed the ministry in their hundreds around 10am in their laboratory coats and carrying placards, demanding specifically that the minister reverses her earlier pronouncement on the suspension of the programmes and ensure provision of necessary equipment and facilities needed for accreditation. Thereafter, a meeting with five student representatives each from all four of the affected departments - medical sciences, veterinary medicine, engineering and agriculture, the Vice Chancellor Professor James Adelabu, executive secretaries of the National Universities Commission and Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TET Fund), the Permanent Secretary Dr. Ben Ibe and the minister held for four hours.
The minister at the end of the meeting lifted the suspension on the contentious programmes but ordered the vice chancellor to ensure that within the next six months all pending projects that would facilitate accreditation of the programmes be completed.
Prof. Rufai still maintaining that she had no regret over her last decision said, ?there is need for you to move out so you can see your graduation date. But if you insist everything has to be put in place in six months. The option of moving out to graduate is still there. You should all go and make your individual decisions. We would be working with the professional bodies to see how we can facilitate your movement.
?This is not only a case of University of Abuja, we are coming to all universities, one by one because the circumstances under which our children are studying is unbearable.?
Professor Mahmood Yakubu who is also the Chairman of the Committee on Needs Assessment of Nigerian Universities said it would be a ?miracle? if the university could get everything in place for accreditation in the next six months.
Agriculture has been removed from the list completely as it was learnt at the meeting that it already had partial accreditation. Veterinary medicine needs a veterinary clinic and an animal farm which are yet to be constructed.
Also, in the case of medicine, there is no teaching hospital but the students have been relying on University of Abuja Specialist Hospital which needs to be equipped, while engineering which has already graduated two sets of students illegally without issuing them certificates, needs more facilities, workshops and lecturers.
It was not conclusive where the funds to complete these projects would come from though the minister informed the meeting that President Goodluck Jonathan had approved N2 billion for the university in this year?s financial budget.
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Adelabu however said he would source for funds, assuring that ?before six months everything would be ready.?
Another meeting was scheduled for next Thursday when the students would submit a list of those choosing to remain and those opting for transfer.
Earlier in the day, ex-students of the university under the aegis of Unity Academic Alumni Forum complained against the decision of the university management describing it as ?unnecessary and un-called for? in a press statement issued yesterday.
Frank Lampard Niclas Alexandersson Blackburn Rovers Julio Arca Christmas and New Year Lake District
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