Students of the All-State College of Education, Ero, in Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo State, on Monday, protested over the inability of the institution to mobilise them for the National Youth Service Corps, after completing their degree programmes.
It was gathered that the angry students blocked the Akure-Ilesa Expressway and held the proprietor of the institution, Mr Peter Fasua, hostage in his office for several hours.
He was, however, rescued later by men of the state police command.
During the protest, the students demanded a refund of the tuition fees they paid for five years since they could not be mobilised for the NYSC scheme.
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They were said to have done a five-year degree programme in the college in affiliation with the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko.
Speaking, the President of the institution’s Students’ Union, Olusola Gbenga, said the school had two sets of graduates waiting to be mobilised for the national service.
Gbenga stated that the Vice Chancellor of AAUA, Prof. Olugbenga Ige, assured them during their matriculation that they would be mobilised for the NYSC programme after graduation, disclosing that a total of 400 graduates who took part in the degree programmes are waiting for mobilisation.
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He said, “We now have two sets of graduates waiting to be mobilised. We protested because our school name was not on the portal of AAUA. The VC who was DVC then promised us that we would go for the NYSC programme.
“What is the purpose of going to school without NYSC? We will continue the protest until we are sure of our fate on the matter.”
The Students Affairs Officer of the institution, Mr Samuel Adebayo, who witnessed the protest, narrated that the school proprietor was whisked away to avoid attack by the students.
Adebayo exonerated the institution, saying lecturers from AAUA were responsible for examinations and supervision of the affiliated programmes.
“Mr. Fasua believed the students would go for NYSC after graduation. He is toothless in this matter. The students shut down all academic activities. They now want their money refunded. The AAUA management should come out to clear the air on the fate of the students,” Adebayo stated.
The Head of Media and Publicity at AAUA, Mr Victor Akinpelumi, denied the allegation.
He said the university never promised to mobilise the students for the NYSC.
He urged the students to meet the management of their school.
“The allegation is not correct. It is a fallacy. I will advise the students to channel their grievances to the Proprietor/Registrar of Ero College of Education, Ero, for proper guidance.
“It is in the Memorandum of Understanding with the institution that the students are not regular and they could not be mobilised for the NYSC. AAUA can only get them an exemption NYSC certificate. The proprietor of the College of Education knows about this because it is in the MoU we signed,” Akinpelumi explained.
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