Students under the umbrella of the National Association of Polytechnic (NAPS) on Saturday protested against the continued closure of tertiary institutions in the country.
The students said decisive actions must be taken by government within 14 days to reopen schools in the interest of students.
According to the aggrieved students, the continued closure of schools further reiterates the insensitivity of the leadership to education and the plight of students in the country.
The leadership of NAPS, during a peaceful protest in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital stated that with the re-opening of markets and worship centres, there was no basis for the continued closure of tertiary institutions.
The National President of NAPS, Olalere Adetunji; and Ilesanmi Moses, Students Union President, Federal Cooperative College, Eleyele, Ibadan, in their joint address said: “We cannot continue to keep mute in the face of bad policy, most especially when it has to do with education. COVID-19 has come to stay; whether we agree or not, there is going to be a cure to it like malaria.
“All we need from the Federal Government is to stop partaking in the global politics and come out with a specific date for schools’ re-opening. The Federal Government has given guidelines on schools re-opening.and everybody is ready to adhere strictly with the guidelines.
“The Federal Ministry of Education should wake up to the task. If the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics is not ready to go back to class, their salary should be stopped henceforth. But, if the Federal Government refuses to give a specific date, between now and the next 14 days, the entire polytechnic students across the country would not hesitate to mobilise in millions across the street in Nigeria. We are ready to stop the economy.”
