[Onthebarricades] NIGERIA: Uprising at Jigawa college over purge

Wed Aug 8 00:15:18 PDT 2007

http://www.independentngonline.com/?c=44&a=31277

      Jigawa College Students' Riot Injures Nine

      By Abubakar Sharada, Reporter, Dutse 

      July 25th, 2007
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      Pre-NCE students of Jigawa State College of Education, Gumel, went on rampage on Monday and destroyed property worth several thousands of naira.

      At least nine students were seriously injured in the pandemonium that followed the riot. The students were protesting alleged plan by the school authorities to withdraw those with deficiencies in core subjects of English Language and Mathematics.

      A 200 level student of the Art and Social Sciences Department, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the riot broke out at 9a.m. 

      He said the aggrieved students set the NYSC store ablaze and smashed windows and doors. 

      He added that the Pre-NCE students were informed last Thursday that anybody with a deficiency in the two subjects should register for the West African Examination Council (WAEC) or National Examination Council (NECO). The students were also asked to pay another registration fee of N3,000 before they would be allowed to continue with their studies.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200708010082.html

Nigeria: Jigawa Coe Students Riot Over Admission Policy

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This Day (Lagos)

31 July 2007
Posted to the web 1 August 2007

Taiwo Olawale
Dutse

Pre National Certificate of Education (NCE) Students of the Jigawa State College of Education went on rampage last week, burning and destroying school properties worth millions of naira to protest the school's new policy on English and Mathematics deficiencies in WAEC and NECO SSCE examinations.

Trouble started when the school authorities directed all students with deficiencies in English and Mathematics to withdraw from the school, retake the subjects and return to re-register for the courses in the school.

One of the affected students who spoke to THISDAY on condition of anonymity said the double registration aspect of the policy was what angered most of the students. "By asking us to withdraw and return only after passing, the authorities are trying to make us pay twice for a single academic year. We have paid for the session already. If we withdraw to go and write English and Mathematics, it means we are going to start registration afresh when we return. This is unfair", he explained.

The student further explained that the practice was strange as, according to him, students with deficiencies were always allowed to continue with their studies in other institutions once they have already been admitted. He said, "Such students are only allowed to graduate when they pass the prerequisite examinations and present evidence of such success. We don't know why the school authorities want to make our cases different."

THISDAY learnt that the affected students had continued to attend lectures even after the school had directed that they stopped. It was in an attempt to enforce the directive that things got out of hand and the students went on rampage.

In the ensuing fracas, the rampaging students burnt down the NYSC store and the Pre NCE blocks. Even when the school authorities invited the Police to restore order, there was initial resistance. At least 15 people, including some policemen were injured before normalcy was restored.

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When contacted, the Provost of the college, Alhaji Adamu Y. Ibrahim confirmed the incident. He however explained that the new policy was in accordance with the requirements of JAMB and the students were briefed accordingly. He noted that the final decision on what to do with the affected students had not been taken as the academic board had not met to discuss it.

He wondered why the students took laws into their hands over a matter that was not yet concluded, adding noting that the school management had constituted an eleven man panel to investigate the disturbances. He said the panel has two weeks to report its findings to enable the school file appropriate reports to the state government.

Coming at a period when the new administration in the state is trying to re-invigorate the education sector, the riots have thrown up a different problem that may need the immediate attention of the state government.

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