LASU ignores NUC’s directive on university closure

The Management of Lagos State University (LASU), Ojoo, has announced that the second semester examination for the 2022/2023 academic session will commence on February 13 (today) and continue until the evening of February 23 before a four-day break. observed.

The university said students will resume their exams on Tuesday, February 28 and have another break between March 9 and 13, and must resume on Tuesday, March 14 to resume their exams.

The latest developments against the directive by National University Commission (NUC) that all universities and university centers will be closed between February 22 and March 14 so that students can participate in the general election.

New schedule

The university said the decision was taken by the Senate in an emergency meeting held on Monday.

The university bulletin published on Monday by the Center for Information, Press and Public Relations (CIPPR), titled: “Decision of the Senate on the Ministerial Directive on the Closure of All Universities and Inter-University Centers During the upcoming General Election 2023”.

According to the bulletin, the decision followed a paper presented by the Vice Chancellor, Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, who is the chairman of the Senate.

The decision of the senate as contained in the bulletin is: “The examination conducted must continue until 18:00 on Thursday, February 23, 2023; students must immediately leave the campus and resume the examination at 8:00 on Tuesday, February 28, 2023, and students must leave campus at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 9, 2023 to continue the exam at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 14, 2023.”

Call for student enfranchisement

As Nigeria plans to hold Presidential and National Assembly elections on February 25, and Governorship and State House of Assembly elections on March 11, a coalition of CSOs is calling for adequate time and opportunities for students to exercise their civic responsibilities.

The coalition includes the Center for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), ConnectHub, Dataphyte, Just Enough Nigeria, #FixPolitics, Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), Reclaim Naija, The Electoral College Nigeria, Women Advocates and Research Development Center (WARDC) and Yiaga Africa .

The DPR also asked government agencies responsible for tertiary institutions to close during the election.

Meanwhile, according to the Chairman Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, from October 2022, students make up 40 percent of newly registered voters during the Continuous Voter Registration between June 2021 and June 2022.

Mr Yakubu said he also made up 27.8 percent (26,027,481) of the total 90 million registered voters, the electoral commission said.

---