Polytechnic Students Demand Reopening Of Higher Institutions Within 14 Days

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Polytechnic Students Demand Reopening Of Higher Institutions Within 14 Days

The National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) has vowed to paralyse the economic activities in the country if governments refuse to reopen higher institutions within 14 days.

The NAPS, which demanded the reopening of all tertiary institutions in the interest of the students, gave the warning during a peaceful protest in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The association, led by its National President, Olalere Adetunji, pointed out that now that markets, worship centres and other places earlier locked down following the outbreak of COVID-19 have been reopened, tertiary institutions should not be abandoned.

The protesters with placards of various inscriptions such as “COVID-19 is not a death sentence,” “Adamu, we want a specific date for our resumption,” “Open our campuses now” and a host of others urged the Federal Government to give a specific date for reopening of the institutions with no further delay.

The students, who condemned the attitude of the Federal Ministry of Education to the plight of Nigerian students, said: “We cannot continue to keep mute in the face of bad policy, most especially that has to do with the education sector.

“All we need from the Federal Government is to stop partaking in global politics and come out with a specific date for schools’ reopening. “Federal Ministry of Education should wake up to the task on the provision of preventive measures across the tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

“If the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) members are not ready to go back to classes, their salaries should be stopped henceforth.”