Akwa Ibom Students Pass vote of No confidence on Governor Emmanuel’s Administration over Questionable Priority to Education

Students and students leaders in Akwa Ibom State tertiary institutions have said that they are exhausted with what they described as unattainable promises, miscalculated and undue priorities given to education by the administration of Governor Udom Emmanuel.

Speaking under the auspices of Akwa Ubok Abasi Students Campaign organization in Akwa Ibom state during a press briefing held on Thursday, November 17, 2022 in Uyo to mark the 2022 international students’ day, with the theme “Evaluating The State Of Education In Akwa Ibom”, the students said they have lost confidence in the deliverables of the administration of Governor Udom Emmanuel as it concerns students.

According to the spokesperson of the Akwa Ubok Abasi Students Campaign committee, Comrade Ekemini David, he explained that Akwa Ibom students have lost confidence in the administration due to poor spending priority in education, failure to provide educational support to students and rot in Akwa Ibom tertiary institutions.

David said ” We strongly condemn the absolute negligence and drastically too slow pace of responsibilities towards revitalization and equipping of the tertiary education system in Akwa Ibom state, by the government. From the poor state of road networks, worse entirely during rainy seasons in the state college of Education, to the unused and launched hostels laying waste for near 10 years today in the same campus. 

“The poor security systems, that has resulted in cases of rape, theft and destruction of properties on campus and around. The miserable state of infrastructure in Akwa Ibom state college of Science and technology, Ikono, has remained an object of mockery. As attention towards development gradually gets off the radar.

” The learning conditions for students in the campus have become unbearable, with no adequate facilities, dilapidated learning blocks and even limited staff office accommodation. The consistent degradation of the quality of science and tech instructions, expected in such institutions and the deeming possibility of ever measuring up global best standards, is only but grossly disappointing to behold in a state like ours.

” The Akwa Ibom state Universities have become usual homes for communal crises between students and host communities, the rising phases of insecurity, poor campus electrification witnessed, and the complete refusal to get a hostel setup for these students paying huge sums for fees to the state treasury, almost every semester. Worst here is the politicization of processes and interventions in the institution. A noble son of Akwa Ibom state had built, furnished and delivered a multi billion Naira worth hostel facility to the school, yet has remained unused and nothing spoken of the facility.”

The Spokesperson decried the fate of students of professional disciplines in state owned schools, noting that they have to go through core studies without any form of support.

He pointed out that the schools of nursing and Midwifery in the state, are in dire need of CBT centers on campuses to aid meeting up standards of regulatory bodies and for efficiency at qualification examinations for students.

Comrade David explained that students of these institutions embark on clinicals every year, hence the commitments and dedication to this, should prompt the state government to make provisions for stipends and grants to aid well-being and studies of such students.

He added “Students of the state colleges of education, as well are faced with the same situation of committing time, energy and resources into an annual course work called teaching practice, though it be academic, yet they contribute significant quota to the teaching strength in most public basic and upper basic schools in the state, yet the government has never thought it through that these class of students should be funded to aid the effectiveness of the assignment.”

While commending the gubernatorial candidate of the Young Progressive Party in Akwa Ibom State, Senator Bassey Albert offer his student friendly gestures, the Akwa Ubok Abasi Students Campaign organization mouthpiece noted ” Following the non payment of grants , subventions to students of professional disciplines, the absolute refusal to be concerned with the payment of students bursary, after His Excellency, Gov. Akpabio paid the first and last in his administration, Akwa Ibom state students have resolved to obey the principle of standing by those who stand by us, to thank the committed personality of Distinguished Senator Bassey Albert Akpan, whom since 2016, has invested billions of Naira, in ensuring that over 381 Akwa Ibom students gain access to the best of quality Education, through his all funded scholarships which 21 has emerged first class students.” 

The group thanked Senator Albert for having lended his voice of reason, to demand for the payment of take off grants to the university of Uyo.

They offered insight to the fact that they have with keen interest read the gubernatorial candidate’s blueprint for education and they appreciate his plans to increase budgetary provision for the sector, enhance staff/student ratio for quality output and development of a sustainable model for effective monitoring and performance evaluation.

Other plans the students said have met their admiration are upgrading of Technical Colleges with state-of-the-art facilities and framing them to become Technology Incubation Centers for the training of manpower, refurbishing of Senior Science Colleges, establishing gifted-children schools in each of the ten (10) Federal Constituencies of the state, developing infrastructures such as libraries, laboratories, workshops, among others with at least minimum acceptable standard for accreditation by examination bodies.

They also applauded the senator for including in his blueprint the training of teachers at primary and secondary levels and development of academic staff in tertiary institutions, Promoting academic excellence by instituting a merit-based scholarship scheme to enable indigenes to contribute to the economic development of the state through research outputs, collaborating with the Federal Government and donor agencies to facilitate developmental programmes of interest in the state and revitalising tertiary institutions through adequate funding and infrastructural expansion.

The students insisted that with Senator Albert’s plans, they are certain that there is hope that there is where the future of education and students’ well-being rests.

Meanwhile, student leaders present at the press briefing are Director of Public Communication, Comrade, Ekemini David, Senate President, School of Nursing, Ikot Ekpene, Comrade Emmanuel Bassey, and Secretary General, Akwa Ibom State University, representing Student Union Government President, Comrade Kingsley Augustine.

Others are National Association of Akwa Ibom State Students President, University of Calabar, Comrade Inibehe Ekpo and representative of the Convener Student Wing of the Campaign Organization,  Comrade Emediong Benson, Secretary (Student Leader).