Students of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, Iseyin campus have appealed to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and the Vice Chancellor, Professor Razaq Rom Kalilu, to urgently address what they describe as mounting academic and infrastructural challenges hindering their studies.
The students, in a statement made available to DAILY POST on Thursday, said the situation at the Iseyin campus had worsened since Agriculture students were relocated from the main campus in Ogbomoso.
They noted that while the Iseyin campus was established by the state government a few years ago, the reality on ground had failed to meet the standards required for meaningful academic work.
Operating under the banner of Concerned Students of LAUTECH, Iseyin Campus, the group said they had written several letters and held peaceful protests to draw the attention of the university management to their plight, but no action had followed.
The statement reads, “Save our soul: The academic crisis at LAUTECH Iseyin campus. We, the Concerned Students of the Faculty of Agriculture at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Iseyin Campus, write to call attention to the gross administrative negligence threatening our future.
“Since the establishment of the Iseyin Campus, we have been victims of a system that prioritizes politics over educational standards.
“It is both ironic and shameful that a Faculty of Agriculture exists without a single livestock or poultry unit. Since moving to this campus in our 200 Level, we have not conducted any practical sessions. We paid levies for a ‘Farm Practice Year,’ yet we did nothing tangible. We are being trained as agriculturists in theory only, devoid of the practical exposure necessary for our profession.
“The campus currently operates with only two lecture rooms and one administrative building. There are no offices for lecturers. Consequently, lecturers must travel from Ogbomosho to Iseyin to teach. Due to the lack of office space and laboratories, many refuse to come, leaving students stranded for weeks without lectures.
“Due to the lack of administrative structure on our campus, examination scripts are transported back and forth to Ogbomosho. In this process, scripts frequently go missing. Students are plagued with ‘Awaiting Results’ (AR) status, which often resolves into an ‘F’ (Failure) through no fault of the student. We have no local redress mechanism; complaints cannot be lodged in Iseyin without travelling to Ogbomosho.
“The pioneer set is now in 500 Level. Instead of focusing on graduation, they are caught in a logistical nightmare. Some departments have ordered final year students to move to the Ogbomosho campus for projects, only to force them back to Iseyin for lectures, lectures that rarely occur because the lecturers have no offices.
“We have written letters and held peaceful protests, but nothing has changed. We call on the Oyo State Government and the University Management to stop playing politics with our education. Education is our right, not a privilege.”
The university management had yet to respond at the time of filing this report.