ASUU Demands For School Closure As 17 Kaduna Varsity Students Contract Virus

Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Kaduna state university chapter has kicked against the decision of the school management to reopen the school after many months of lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the ASUU Kaduna state chapter, it is not yet safe to reopen the institution because of the fear that students might contract the virus as they mingle freely among themselves during school hours.

This was made known by the chairman of ASUU, Kaduna state university chapter while addressing journalists at a press conference on Friday.

Comrade Tukur Abdulkadir, the chairman noted that some weeks ago, 17 out of about 50 medical students who were recalled for examination tested positive to COVID-19.

He said: “As you are aware the management of the Kaduna State University has opened the university and plans to conduct examination beginning from Monday, October 19. To this moment, Kaduna State Government has not officially announced the re-opening of tertiary institutions. Although the 2019/2020 academic session has been significantly affected by Covid-19 lockdown, re-opening the university at this material time is tantamount to trading the lives of students and staff for the conduct of the examination.

“The decision by the management of KASU to re-open is in gross violation of the Covid-19 Protocol as highlighted by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). This action also violates the standard provision and regulations guiding conduct of university examinations.

The ASUU chairman, Abdulkadir complained bitterly about the over crowded hostels and non-existing procedures ought to have been put in place by the school management as stipulated by presidential task force and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.

“Let this be known to the general public, almost all the guidelines as stipulated by PTF/NCDC are not in existence in Kaduna State University at the moment. Students congregate very closely without facemasks, and hostels are overcrowded. It is on record that some weeks ago, 17 out of about 50 medical students who were recalled for examination tested positive to Covid-19.

“As you may be aware that the university has been closed for more than 7 months, the Kaduna State University Management plans to re-open on October 18, and commence examination by October 19. Students have not been given time for revision (at least 2 weeks as required).

“This will have severe consequences on students’ performance, and therefore undermine the examination. Amongst the infractions associated with planned examinations include: Inability to subject examination questions for external moderation before examination by some departments. This is an important requirement for examination in universities in Nigeria as stipulated by NUC.

Abdulkadir further stated that the absence of academic staff in the forthcoming examination might tamper with the quality and integrity of the examinations and added that some departments have not completed their syllabus.

“It should be noted that examination is the most important component of any university and strictly an academic affair. The absence of academic staff in the conduct of the examination might tamper with the quality and integrity of the examinations.

“Some newly established departments have covered only a fraction of their syllabus, yet examination will hold in these departments.

“It is clear that the re-opening of Kaduna State University by the university management potent danger and health risk to citizens of Kaduna State. The second wave of Covid-19 has manifested in some countries, with more casualties being reported.

“Kaduna State University is a non-residential university where students come for study and return back home after classes. This therefore stresses the danger for wide spread of the virus”.