The Senate of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) has suspended academic activities at the institution following Wednesday’s protests in the school.
A statement released by the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Benedicta Ehanire, on Thursday, July 4, revealed that the shutdown did not affect the non-academic staff.
The university had additionally, ordered its students to vacate their hostels with immediate effect.
Trouble had begun when UNIBEN students took to the streets on Wednesday to protest weeks of power outages on their campus. They had also blocked the busy Benin-Ore Highway during the protest.
What Is The Protest About?
This recent protest is over the prolonged power cut in the varsity which has gravely impacted their preparation for the first-semester examinations coming up in two weeks time.
With this protest, the students are demanding for a 24-hour electricity supply in the university, an agitation the management has tagged as unrealistic.
What They’re Saying
“Following the refusal of students of the University of Benin to shift grounds on their demands for twenty-four hours supply of electricity and more, considered unrealistic by the University’s Senate, the University has shut down academic activities indefinitely,” the statement read.
“Students are to vacate the hostels immediately while all the relevant units of the University are to take note and comply. However, non-teaching staff and staff on essential duties are not affected by the shutdown.”
Why It Matters
In response to the shutdown, UNIBEN students have expressed frustration and concern. Many took to social media platforms to voice their opinions, sharing hashtags like #UNIBENShutdown and #PowerForEducation.
Some organized virtual meetings to discuss strategies for addressing the power outage issue.
The school management might have made the decision to shutdown with good faith but this indefinite shutdown will affect the students, disrupting their studies and potentially delay their academic progress, in line with other schools in the country.
As it stands, the student body is determined to advocate for improved conditions and a swift resolution to the electricity supply problem.
