ADENIRAN OGUNSANYA, COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, STUDENT UNION, STUDENTS’ UNION BUILDING. ADENIRAN OGUNSANYA, COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, OTTO/IJANIKIN, 9TH OCTOBER, 2014. HIS EXCELLENCY, BABATUNDE RAJI FASHOLA (SAN), EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR, LAGOS STATE, STATE HOUSE, IKEJA, LAGOS. Dear Sir, AN OPEN LETTER TO HIS EXCELEENCY, THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF LAGOS STATE, MR. BABATUNDE RAJI FASHOLA (SAN) The above subject refers. In order to attain to the goals of economy freedom and prosperity, Nigeria must do certain things as a matter of urgency and priority. It must provide free education (at all levels) and free health facilities for the masses of its citizens. - Obafemi Awolowo We write as the students of the oldest state owned institution located at the outskirt of. Badagry express road, we salute the giant stride and quantum leap of our Governor in areas of all human endeavors. We are particularly thrilled because he is a listening Governor who hearkens to the voice of reasoning. We wish to draw your attention to our college, the best teachers training institution as recently awarded by N.C.C.E in the country, one of the prominent reasons which account for dwindling in enrolment is the oppressive fees regime, many of our students aren’t financial capable as they are mostly the children of the Nigerians that receives less than N18, 000: OOk minimum wage in the state. . Out - rightly, confrontations isn’t necessary when dialogue is given a room, it is unimaginable when a college of education with certification in N.C.E pays higher than a university with award of Bachelor’s degree. To humbly remind you sir, presently the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED), formerly Lagos state college of education (LACOED) students pays higher than students of Lagos State University (LASU) and after the course of the programmes, the NCE graduates are Short- changed, thus, they are denied employment opportunities in the state, a good example is the present Lagos state civil service vacancies that gives no spaces for our trained teachers. These and more calls for massive protests, but as students of history that have compared and contrast the effect of the disturbing the peace and political consequence of a fast rising mega city (LAGOS STATE) the third largest city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa and the sixth emerging mega city in the world which is richer than many countries in the continent. The continued progress of Adeniran ogunsanya college of Education is wish of any well meaningful stakeholder of college. The AOCOED STUDENTS‘UNION, as the foremost representative of students, also craves for the progress and change of this great citadel of learning. WE SAY NO TO THE EXORBITANT TUTION FEE. Teaching is one of the best professions that have being looked - down on with disparity as many National Certificate in Education (N.C.E) holders have been either rejected or ejected by the government policies, hitherto, it affects the teachers in training psychologically. To set the record straight, presently, Lagos state University has being focused on and massively invested in with the ongoing construction of a 7 - storey senate building , 4 storey central library, Students’ Union Arcade, Faculty of Law lecture theatre, new science complex, LASU radio, School of transport, New faculty of management all by the Lagos state Government, yet, they pay N25,000:00k only, compared with the same state owned tertiary institution, Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education where less or nothing have been invested pays N40,000:OOk. However, it is widely known, thus audible to the deaf and visible to the blind that Adeniran Ogunsanya College of education is not a private owned institution. It displeasing to note that the teachers training institution is undermined and evidences has shown that we are less catered or cared for, the school is a public utility that is meant to serve the people and not for profit making, therefore the enormous fee is unjust for reasons that AOCOED was created as an environment to echelon the social class and in the society for the poor and the middle class. Sir, with the discriminating fee command, our theatre-arts students, one of the best in the country have no departmental classrooms nor theatre, dilapidated buildings on campus, collapsing students union building, no good road-links, lack of banking halls or allocated spaces for financial institutions (Banks), ill equipped health centre, no hostels on campus, all these burns down to inconveniences on the students populace. Your Excellency Sir, we feel pains that a college that is long overdue to be a University of education ahead of Tai - Solarin college of education isn`t given a facelift and supports to attain the heights, Ogun state unlike Lagos state today has a Tai - Solarin University of Education which has boosted the manpower in the education sector, yes Lagos state is capable both financially and morally to uplift the status of the best college of education in Nigeria to a university. Without mincing words, permit me your Excellency sir to humbly state the demands of thousands of students of Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, which are as highlighted: • Total reversal of the discriminating tuition fee. • immediate reconsideration of NCE graduates in Lagos state employment scheme • Upgrade of Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education to University of Education. • Construction of more infrastructures to replace the dilapidated building. • Invitation of more banks on campus for students’ convenience. • Construction of hostels for students’ learning convenience. • Construction of new students’ union building in replacement of the old building. • Teaching Practice allowance as paid to SIWES / IT students In line with our eight point demands, we believe to have a listening Governor of the centre of excellence that will acquiesce to our Jermaine demands. While we anticipate your swift response so as to ensure that we resume to teaching - practice without itch, we like to cite the words of a legend, Martin Luther King which states, “there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but he must take it because conscience tells it is right.”
Posted on: Sat, 11 Oct 2014 22:40:52 +0000
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