…Governor Lalong Seeks NUC Intervention
Gift Olivia Samuel, Per Second News, Abuja - Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has decried the delay in the graduation of students 10 years after the establishment of the State University (PLASU), situated in Bokkos.
Lalong also said the lack of lecturers, incessant interference, lack of facilities and inability to get accreditation of its courses have been the major causes of the over delayed graduation of two sets of students since its inception in April 2005.
The Governor, who made these known when he paid a visit to the National Universities Commission Abuja on Tuesday, sought the support of the Commission in the areas of accreditation, recruitment of more lecturers as well as diaspora professors to ensure that the university is on the part of stabilization and undue interference.
Lalong appreciated the NUC for the role it played in the establishment and running of universities nationwide, especially for ensuring academic excellence in PLASU; adding that he recognizes the importance of the commission as a supervisory and quality assurance body of all Nigerian universities and other associated organs.
According to him; “Currently, there are two sets of final years without any of its 17 programmes accredited. However with what has happened to the institution and the crisis of confidence, public perception and spontaneous reaction by the students and parents, there is urgent need for the government to be seen actively involved, in ensuring a repositioning of the university and its programmes”.
He said that the university needs laboratories and class rooms, appropriate staff recruitment, offices and office equipment, library and purchase of relevant books, adding that additional efforts in the areas of stabilization of the institution and general infrastructural development will complement its preparedness for the accreditation exercise.
Lalong therefore urged the NUC to help fast track PLASU’s accreditation exercise to allow for satisfactory project execution, adding that; “the University will require a grace period of between 4 to 6 months from now to fully accomplish the execution of the above to properly fulfill the accreditation needs”.
He expressed the desire of his administration to work assiduously to give the university a new leaf adding however that he cannot do it alone.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission(NUC), Professor Julius Okojie said state governments have been encouraged to establish their own institutions, adding that universities bring development as best of practices comes from the university system.
Okojie noted that a defective governing council and lack of accreditation has left the school in an emergency ward, adding that a university cannot run without a governing council and therefore gave the school three weeks to put its governing council in place.
On the issue of the unilateral suspension of the substantive Vice-Chancellor, Professor Doknan Sheni, who was dismissed after a year, Okojie urged the Plateau State government to ensure that the dismissed Vice-Chancellor of PLASU be reinstated as soon as possible, adding that he must complete his tenure as the VC.
He said; “I must tell you that those students will graduate, we will ensure that once you put those things in place, the structure on ground, you are ready for us to come for accreditation”.
Okojie called on the governor to ensure that he installs enduring structures and pleaded with him not to attempt to establish another university in his time as governor as it will only yield poor result.
The NUC boss promised to get three professors for the PLASU that would be paid through TETFund and therefore assured of staff recruitment just as he promised that the students will graduate after ten years but asked that they write a leave of absence letter to the Senate as 10 years is too long a time for a student to stay in a University.
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