Recently, the Administration of the University of Benin introduced an increase in fees and charges paid by students of the University and this led to a peaceful protest by the students,
in opposition to the increment. The Administration of the University has posted a notice of the rustication of five (5) students, including some leaders of the Student Union of the University of Benin based on their participation in the said protest.
ASUU as a Union is unequivocally apposed to increases in fees and charges which characteristically deny the poor and underprivileged masses of Nigeria access to quality education, which ordinarily is a RIGHT for every Nigerian Citizen. It is the belief of the Union that rather than impose the burden of exorbitant fees on the already impoverished citizens of this country, our leaders should harness the abundant human and natural resources available to us as a nation and invest adequately in the education of Nigerians. This is the culture in other reasonable and developed societies where it is understood that no nation can develop beyond the level of its education.
The Union also Wishes to state that PROTEST is a LEGITIMATE instrument in every democracy for responding to and resisting unfair and unjust laws and policies. For this reason, the Union considers the rustication of five (5) students of the University, based on their participation in the PEACEFUL protest which trailed the increase in the fees charged at the University to be high-handed. The Union is interacting With the Administration of the University of Benin With a View to arriving at a peaceful resolution of the matter to ensure industrial harmony in the University.
The University of Benin Branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) thus dissociates itself from (i) the recent increase in fees and charges at the University of Benin and (ii) the rustication of five (5) students including some leaders the Student Union of the University of Benin.
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