News in brief:
– LAUTECH agriculture students protest the lack of practical farm facilities despite paying ₦50,000 for tools and resources.
– Students cite poor living conditions, inadequate infrastructure, and high costs, demanding immediate improvements.
Students of the College of Agriculture and Renewable Natural Resources at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) in Iseyin campus protested on Monday over the lack of essential practical facilities despite paying substantial fees for farm equipment and related materials.
Frustrations over unmet promises
The protest, led by 400-level students and joined by others, stemmed from dissatisfaction with the university’s inability to provide the necessary resources for their practical work. Each student reportedly paid approximately ₦50,000 for farm tools and materials but claims these fees have not translated into any meaningful practical engagement.
A student, speaking anonymously, stated, “We started farming work during the first semester, which began in November 2024, but after less than a week of clearing weeds, we were told to go home. Upon resumption in January, the management instructed us to make heaps and plant vegetables without providing sufficient materials. What are we paying for?”
Calls for transparency and accountability
Students expressed dismay at additional charges, including a new ₦10,000 payment for Industrial Training (IT), questioning the justification for these fees given the lack of practical opportunities. They lamented that they are merely planting vegetables instead of engaging in more comprehensive farm operations like livestock production or crop cultivation.
“We are in our final year, yet we lack exposure to vital practical areas like poultry, piggery, and sheep farming. These facilities are available at the main campus in Ogbomoso but lie unused,” another student revealed.
The students also highlighted deplorable living and learning conditions in Iseyin. They noted the absence of on-campus hospitals, high accommodation costs, expensive transportation, and irregular attendance by lecturers.
“We’re shuttling between Ogbomoso and Iseyin because houses near the campus are costly, and our lecturers rarely show up. During exams, not less than 12 students fainted due to stress and poor conditions,” another student shared.
Relocation woes and longstanding concerns
In 2023, the students were relocated from the main campus in Ogbomoso to the newly constructed Iseyin campus despite resistance from students, lecturers, and the Ogbomoso community. Critics of the move cited concerns over inadequate infrastructure and poor planning, which have since materialised.
“We warned about these issues when the relocation was proposed, but the government and university management ignored us. Now, we risk being labelled as half-baked graduates,” a student lamented.
Despite visits from the Provost, Dean, and local leaders, the students insisted on their demands, warning that protests would resume if improvements were not made by Friday.
“We need real change, not empty promises. Agriculture is practical by nature, and without these experiences, we cannot succeed as graduates,” one protester concluded.
The students urged the LAUTECH management and Oyo State Government to address the shortcomings immediately to salvage their academic future.
