The Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose Friday begged the striking lecturers of the Ekiti State University to return to classrooms and prevent the derailment of the school’s academic calendar.
Fayose, who appealed to the lecturers to show understanding over non-payment of the September , 2014 subvention owed by ex-Governor Kayode Fayemi’s government, causing delay in their salaries, said the future of the students would have to be prioritized in the interest of all .
The Governor made the statement in Ado Ekiti during the graduation ceremony of the University.
At the occasion, no fewer than 6,807 were conferred with Degree and Post Graduate Degree awards in various courses by the Management, led by its Vice Chancellor, Prof Oladipo Aina.
It will be recalled that the Lecturers have embarked on work-to-rule in the last two weeks , to protest non -payment of September salary.
Represented by the Deputy Governor, Fayose said: “You can all attest to the fact that Governor Fayose is passionate about the payment of salaries and other benefits.
“We are begging for your understanding on this issue because allowing the academic calendar to be disrupted may not be in the interest of these students, whose parents have invested in so much.
“We are not running away from the payment of September subvention. We are happy that the management has helped in the payment of the August subvention, which shows that the University has been looking inward on how to generate money to assist the government for adequate funding”.
He said Fayose has introduced two-month intensive training for students in SSS 3, to reverse the poor outing recorded in West African Examinations Council in 2014.
Fayose said the state recorded 33.3% rating in number of students with five credits , including English Language and Mathematics last year.
He urged graduands to continue to strive hard to get to the top of their chosen careers, advising that they should always embrace the tenets of integrity , for them to be regarded as good Ambassadors of the University and Ekiti.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Patrick Aina, expressed delight over the accreditation granted the institution’s College of Medicine by National Universities Commission , saying “the result of the Medical and Dental Council is still being awaited, but with god prognosis” .
Aina said the 2012/ 2013 session produced 19 First Class ,991 Second Class and 4,451 Second class lower divisions ,while 1,081 and 58 graduating students were in Second Class Lower Division and Pass respectively .
Aina added that the University has reinforced its Development and Research Centre, consolidation of business venture and develop its consultancy unit in a bid to shore up its Internally Generated Revenue.
“For the first time in the history of the University a five – year (2015- 2019) Institutional Strategy has been developed .
The plan is afoot for a comprehensive review of all our academic programmes to allow for the development of programmes in the emerging target- oriented and needs – driven fields of knowledge that will enhance the global competitiveness of our graduates and define EKSU as a leading university “.
The Professor of Soil Science said a total of 25 buildings have been built under his leadership, which he said has turned around the architectural posture of the university and make it to be at per with other globally acclaimed Universities.
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