The management of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, has said its Senate will meet to consider the resumption of academic activities in the university after the school was shut down two weeks ago.
The acting Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Asomwan Adagbonyin, stated this on Tuesday while briefing journalists at the Edo State secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Benin City about goings-on at the University.
He explained that the alleged increase in school fees which led to student protests and the resultant closure of the institution was false, adding that fresh students had their tuition fees increased while returning students’ fees remained the same.
“There are plans to open the institution as soon as the Senate of the school meets to consider it.
“There is no increment in tuition fees of returning students of AAU and the students of the university have been allowed to pay their school fees in two instalments to reduce the burden of paying once,” he added.
He said management decided to close the school as the students’ protest became violent, with some of the students attacking fellow students and lecturers, inflicting injuries on them on campus, as well as preventing commendation service for a late Professor from being held on campus.
Adagbonyin further explained that following the infractions, management dissolved the Students Union Government leadership and set up a Caretaker Committee, vowing that erring students would be held responsible for their actions.
He described the political dimension the protest at the AAU has taken as “a deeply entrenched conspiracy” and advised those who have turned the university into a war zone to give peace a chance, just as he said a lot of misinformation was in the air and urged members of the public to get correct information from the university’s website and stop the falsehood.
The Vice-Chancellor while announcing that 90 medical students who recently graduated from the university would soon be inducted, debunked reports that the institution was offering fake degrees in mechanical and electrical engineering.
He said the university has already paid the prescribed fees to the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria for the re-accreditation of the courses whose accreditation lapsed recently.
(The Punch)
