The fragile peace on the campus of the
Michael Otedola College of Primary
Education ( MOCPED ) , Noforija , Epe, Lagos
was on Monday shattered as former
degree students staged a protest march at
the college.
The former students who had undergone
three years of bachelors’ degree in
education at the college in affiliation with
Ekiti State University ( EKSU) , Ado -Ekiti
protested over the delay in the release of
their results and certificates by the
management of the two institutions .
Some of the aggrieved students in a
telephone interview with Daily Independent
said they were not in any way indebted to
the authorities of the two institutions to
warrant the seizure of their results and
certificates .
A female graduate of the college who
spoke to our correspondent also on phone
under condition of anonymity said results
of students that graduated from the
institution in 2010 were hurriedly released
last year following intense pressure .
“I graduated from the college through the
partnership with EKSU since 2012, but till
date my result and certificates are yet to
be released .
“I do not owe the managements of
MOCPED and EKSU a kobo because
payments of tuition were preconditions for
examination at the college . I want to
appeal to MOCPED and EKSU to release
our results and certificates . We have
demanded what belong to us , but the
management responded by drafting armed
soldiers to the college . Many of the
protesters sustained injuries, ” she
lamented .
Condemning the unprovoked attack on the
defenseless former students of the two
institutions , a group , Education Rights
Campaign ( ERC ) urged the two institutions
to fulfil their joint obligations in respect of
the eight -year old programme at the
college.
The group in a statement signed by its
National Coordinator , Taiwo Hassan-
Soweto said : “We fully supports this
protest and demands that the College’ s
administration meets all students ’
demands.
“MOCPED is an affiliate college of EKSU.
This means that students are able to seek
admission into MOCPED for degree
programmes that would bear EKSU’ s
certificate. While students pay fees to
MOCPED and also receive lectures in
MOCPED , there is a cost- sharing and
responsibility- sharing arrangement
between both institutions which requires
that MOCPED regularly pay some amount
to EKSU while it must also regularly
compile students ’ results and present
same to EKSU Senate for approval .
“Unfortunately since the degree program
started about eight years ago , MOCPED
has not issued statements of results and
certificates to any of the students who
have completed this programme and
neither have any proceeded for the
National Youth Service,” he added.
Accusing the management of MOCPED of
sharp practices , he said “a similar degree
programme of EKSU is affiliated with
Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education
( AOCOED) and there are no complaints
about non - release of results or
certificates .”
Calling for probe of the finances of the
college, the group blamed the Lagos State
Government, owners of the college, for
failing to accede to requests of the
students . They contended that the inability
of the college to release results and
certificates led to many of the former
students taking up menial jobs because of
their inability to back their claims of
bachelors degree in education .
“We condemn the Lagos State government
which is the owner of MOCPED for failing
to come to the aid of the degree students
of MOCPED who have been suffering this
ill -treatment from the authorities for years
now . We believe that it will amount to
gross irresponsibility if officials of the state
government continue to feign ignorance of
the happenings in MOCPED .
“We call on the Lagos State government
and its relevant departments to intervene
on behalf of the degree students of
MOCPED who are suffering. dailyindependentnig.com/2015/01/non-issuance-results-certificates-sparks-off-protest-mocped/