Benue Varsity suspends 200-600 level medical students over protest
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Management of the Benue State University, BSU, Makurdi, yesterday, placed a one month’s suspension on all Medical Students of its College of Health Sciences from 200 to 600 level.
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This is sequel to a peaceful demonstration by the affected students who had, on October 25, 2023, protested against what they claimed was lack of water and adequate hostel accommodation in the institution.
The students who commenced their protest outside the school premises and marched to the State’s Government House to lay their complaints, said that the management had failed to address the underlying issues despite the numerous times they have brought it up before the management.
In a statement by the Registrar of the institution, Dr. Mfaga Modom on Monday, the State-owned University also ordered the affected students to immediately vacate their hostels at 8am and resume on Wednesday November 29, 2023.
It however stated that academic activities of 100 Level Students of the College of Health Sciences remain uninterrupted.
Part of the statement read, “the Management Committee has reviewed the recent actions of 200 to 600 level Medical Students and has also carefully reviewed the reports from the Dean of Students, the Coordinator of Security and Resolutions that arose from the meeting between Management Committee and Academic Staff of the College of Health Sciences regarding the Students demonstration of Wednesday 25 October 2023.
“Management Committee also noted with dismay the recalcitrant attitude of these Medical Students before, during and after the demonstration and resolved as fallows; Management Committee will constitute an Investigative Committee to look into the remote and immediate causes of the demonstration and advise as appropriately.
“The Top Management Committee of the College of Health Sciences is hereby directed to implement the Resolutions of the Reports of the various Committees on the students’ demonstration.
“All 200 to 600 Level Medical Students of the College of Health Sciences should proceed on one month suspension with effect from 8am on Monday October 30, 2023 and should resume on Wednesday November 29, 2023.
“On resumption, each student should bring a Sworn Affidavit from a competent Court of Law attesting to be of good conduct. Each student should also come along with his/her Parent/Guardian who will sign an undertaking.
“The Benue State University Medical Students Association (BESUMSA) has been suspended with immediate effect till further notice. 200 to 600 Level Medical Students are hereby directed to vacate their hostels by 10am on Monday October 30, 2023. Academic activities of 100 Level Students of the College of Health Sciences remain uninterrupted.”
In another development, the Federal Government, FG has disclosed plans to put an end to the issue of out-of-school children in Nigeria.
Minister of Education Professor Tahir Mamman made the disclosure during a tour of the remodelled Christ the King School along Wellington Bassey Way, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, constructed by Governor Umo Eno.
According to the minister, such could only be achieved through collaboration between the local, state, and federal governments as he lauded Gov Eno for the basic education infrastructural development, saying that such was in line with President Tinubu’s vision of reversing the decline in school enrolments.
The minister was in Uyo for the celebration of the University of Lagos 1984 law class reunion when he made the comment during a tour of the remodelled Christ the King School.
He said: “Indeed, there is hope for us as a country with the effort of all the governors, everybody, and the Federal Government working together collaboratively.
“For us at the federal level, particularly the President, Bola Amed Tinubu, that is our area of focus. We want the out-of-school children to be a matter of history, and this is the way to do it.”
Earlier, the governor said his administration’s determination to pay attention to education at the primary level was informed by the need to spur the passion for education among schoolchildren.
“We call upon the federal government to support what we are doing. It is about children and the future of our children. Again, I want to underscore something here: that the federal and state governments can collaborate,” Gov Eno said.
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