‘Nine-year old Plateau State University yet to produce single graduate’

The students of the Plateau State University, Bokkos said no student has graduated from the school since its establishment nine years ago.

Aggrieved 400-level final year students, led by Misheal Nunkop, who claimed to represent the Students Union Government, SUG, in a press conference in Jos on Tuesday, said they might not graduate from the University due to the non accreditation of most of their courses.

The students refused to write their final year exams, which was scheduled to commence Monday.

“We do not know our fate,” Mr. Nunkop said. ‘We may not graduate that was why we refused writing our final examinations.”

The university was established by the Joshua Dariye administration. However, Governor Jonah Jang on assumption of office in 2007 suspended all activities at the school, alleging shabby infrastructure and lack of permanent staff.

He reopened the institution about four years ago without improving the infrastructure.

The Vice Chancellor of the university, Doknan Sheni, was recently suspended and replaced with Stephen Malo.

“It is on record that within three years the University has had three Vice Chancellors as opposed to the possible fifteen years of the cumulative tenure of the three Vice Chancellors,” the students said. “This raises serious questions: how can three different Vice Chancellors be the problem of a single university under one administration.”

The students said government has neglected them and vowed to protest the resumption of the newly appointed Vice Chancellor until their grievances are addressed.

Reacting to the development the chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, at the school, Gilbert Yalmi, said the suspension of the Vice Chancellor was wrong.

The lecturers said that the suspension was contrary to the law setting up the university because the university council was not consulted before the suspension was announced.

Mr. Yalmi also confirmed non accreditation of courses.

“Contrary to the norm, PLASU has not gone for accreditation two years after the assumption of academic activities,” he said.

“This is not unconnected to the breakages in the chain of the university administration by the Jang-led administration. We are equally aware that the VC Prof. Sheni inherited the process of accreditation from Prof. Nenfort Gomwalk and has vigorously pursued it, leading to a successful mock accreditation and unfortunately the government is yet to release the funds that will guarantee the successful execution of the main accreditation.”