The Education Rights Campaign (ERC) has called on the authorities of Lagos State University (LASU) to immediately reopen the institution's E- portal to enable the students complete their online registration process.
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The group also called for the immediate withdrawal of the police and the setting in motion of a democratic process to hold discussions with the aggrieved students, the students union and staff unions on campus with a view to resolving the lingering crisis facing the institution.
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The students of the institution who had not completed their registration due to delay in payment of fees were said to have gathered to plead with the Vice Chancellor Prof. Obafunwa to reopen the University's e-portal. Instead of listening to the peaceful plea of the students, the VC reportedly walked out of them in contempt.
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Miffed by the VC's insensitivity, the students were said to have embarked on a mild protest yesterday last Wednesday. Things however became more serious the next day – the very day the second semester examinations were billed to begin – when the aggrieved students mobilised for a bigger protest which effectively stopped examinations and thereafter the school was shut down by the authorities.
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The group in a statement issued by its National Coordinator, Hassan Soweto called on management of the university to convey a stakeholders meeting and listen to the students before things degenerate.
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It blamed the current crisis rocking the institution on the unjust hike of the payable fees in the university nearly three years ago by the Babatunde Fashola's administration, noting that fees were increased to between N193, 750 and N358, 750, while the minimum wage earnings stood at a paltry N18,000.
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It lamented that nearly three years after LASU fees were hiked, the university has become a shadow of its former self with record-level annual decline in admission applicants and closure of faculties and programs. The current situation, it added is now threatening the jobs of the university's academic and non-academic staff.
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"For the umpteenth time, the Education Rights Campaign (ERC) calls on the Lagos State Government of Babatunde Raji Fashola to immediately reverse the fees of the Lagos State University (LASU). We also call on the government to immediately resolve all outstanding labour disputes with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) so as to avoid disruption of the University's academic calendar.
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"We support the opinion expressed by ASUU that LASU is now the most expensive University in Nigeria. LASU's fee hike is not only outrageous, it has become a single factor curtailing, limiting and reversing the progress and development of the University. This is a shame to the Lagos State Government and the All Progressive Congress (APC)," the group stated.
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It warned that unless the hiked fees are quickly reversed, no matter the value of the developmental achievement Governor Fashola may lay claim to when he leaves office, the carcass of LASU would be the only visible sign and legacy of his administration.