The Leadership of the Plateau State Youth Council has initiated partnership with the University of Jos community in order to foster conducive relationship between the community and the teeming youths in the State. This position was presented by the council while on a courtesy call on the Management and Staff of the University of Jos on Friday 10th May, 2024, at the Register’s Conference Hall, Naraguta Campus, where they were received by the Vice Chancellor of the University Prof Tanko Ishaya and other members of the management team.

In his presentation, Chairman of the Plateau State Youth Council Comrade Emmanuel Jukun in the presence of the PRO of the Council Comrade Walshak Kumenr and other EXCO members said that his was in the office of the Vice Chancellor to seek partnership going forward

“…we are here this morning as a leadership and to register to you that University of Jos is of topmost priority to us as stakeholders and as youth leaders. The welfare of the university is of interest to us and so it’s a duty that we should be seen around the university seeking partnership, seek also clarification where necessary. And the essence of our visit this morning is to seek partnership with the university community going forward.”

“As a leadership we are always open and ready to render our own help when necessary. I want to encourage that though this is the first we are paying to the university community. First instance, we would leverage on substances that has been achieved.”

Jukun on behalf of the council after presenting a number of issues of commendation for the university management and also pleaded with the university management to consider the ultimatum given to students who were yet to pay their school fees, stressing that the action may prevent them from writing their exams.

“However, when next we are coming here, we will come with lots of issues that the university should respond to. And before I will conclude, I want to, especially since we’re here, appeal to the university management. I learned that there is an ultimatum given to students who have not been able to meet up with their tuition. The implication is that they may be restricted from writing their exams. We want to appeal as leaders, these students are our younger brothers and they are friends too. We want to appeal passionately to the university community to have some pity for the students, buy us more time from our end as a leadership.”

Responding the Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos, Prof Tanko Ishaya appreciated the visit of the Plateau State Youth Council and said that the university was created for the future, which according to him the future is in the hands of the youths.

He highlighted efforts made by the university under his leadership in order to maintain the University standards.

“The university is created for the the future and the future is in the hands of the youth. I really want to thank you for this visit. The chairman of the youth council has highlighted some of the few things that we have made that you believe that we have made some progress. I want to thank you for not just highlighting them but the fact that you have been following the developments of the university means that you have the university at heart.”

“We have been doing the best we can as management to make sure that the University of Jos remains a university that you will all be proud of.”

“Indeed we have tried as much as possible to maintain a harmonious relationship between the staff and students. Despite the challenges that we have been facing, not just the University of Jos, public universities in Nigeria have been facing a lot and a lot of challenges with respect to the funds, with respect to the issues that we needed to address that affect staff and that affect students.”

“Therefore those are areas that most of the time you find that we were trying to iron out between both the staff and the students. It is our hope and I can say that the leadership of all nigerian universities including all the staff unions have been working seriously including sacrifices going on strike in order to ensure that the welfare in the university across university sectors has been improved by government”.

“And I show you that most of the time, particularly when I had the opportunity of going around the student hostel, I am pained that we have not yet started. Honestly, as far as the welfare of this, you know, the hostel accommodation I believe we have not yet started. I have had the privilege of staying in hostels in the university, this university staying in hostels, another international university. And when I compare what we have now and what we had before, you know, it’s far behind expectations. Therefore we must put our heads together towards ensuring that we provide the enabling environment for this.”

On the issue school charges, the Vice Chancellor said that the University is aware of the plights of students and have so far written to state governments across the catchment areas of the University to come to the aid of students who are unable to pay their fees.

“We are conscious that students are suffering because it is not actually the students that are suffering, it is us that are suffering because we have the students here. Payment of those charges at the end of the day comes back to the parents. We are conscious. That is one of the reasons why I want to tell you that we have written, I have written letters to all the state governments, state governors, to consider the payment of the school charges of students of the University of Jos, particularly those states that are catchment states.”

He added that some state governments, politicians and philanthropists are beginning to respond in that manner. He called for more support and partnership in order to solve the matter on a larger scale.

“I think we will address some of those challenges. My colleague in Kano, just told me, I think a few months ago, that the state government has already paid the charges for all the students of Kano State in B.U.K. Some of the students fees have been paid by some of the philanthropists. So we believe that we will be able to attract support to our students.”

“One of the reasons why we have rolled out the scholarship and even the work scheme program is to show the world and to show even the politicians that we care, so that when we go out to look for more support, they should know that we have actually started doing something.

“We also aware that there are students who are struggling even after paying, they are struggling to survive. We know a lot of them because we support them individually, collectively and otherwise. So we’re going to continue in order to ensure that we address that on the issue of the payment of charges, it’s something that we’ve actually relaxed even right from the first semester. We’ll continue to work with that relaxation, but not in the spirit of passing a wrong message to the students. And because as at last semester, when exam started, we actually told students, those that have whatever percentage of the charges they can go and pay, so that at least they can also, you know, demonstrate their commitment to ensuring that they pay the charges.”

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PYC Partners University of Jos Community, seeks consideration for students yet to pay their school charges