By ANDREW OJIEZEL
BAFFLED by the uncertainty surrounding the future of their children and wards, parents of Part One Law students of the Lagos State University (LASU) admitted for the 2014/2015 session have dragged the Lagos State House of Assembly Adhoc-Committee on Education to investigate the legitimacy of their wards as students of the institution.
The parents, who met with the committee, headed by Hon. Gbolahan Yishawu, and management of the institution led by the Vice Chancellor, Prof John Obafunwa at the assembly complex last week, stated that students were admitted into the institution last year.
Following the fruitless efforts by LASU management to re-accredit the course, based the de-accreditation of law programme by the National Universities Commission (NUC), the parents expressed their fear.
In the petition which was titled, “Petition on The Plight of Part 1 (one) Law Students of The Lagos State University” and dated August 17, 2015, the parents alleged that the university placed advertisement for admission into its faculty of law through the JAMB brochure for 2014/2015 session.
The parents added that prospective students were duly cleared to undertake the course for the 2014/2015 session.
The parents who also expressed their fear based on the exclusion of their children and wards from the matriculation exercise wondered why they were allowed to make mandatory payment of school fees to the university.
Further, the parents in the same petition signed by Dr Lekan Aderibigbe, Mr Ganiu Alokun and others, sought to know “whether the denial of these students to partake in the matriculation of the new students conducted on February 11, 2015 was proper and in order.”
“Rather than redeem their promise as contained in their own newsletter and do the needful for these students, LASU authorities continue to treat the Law students (Part 1) with utmost disdain and reckless abandon.
“Till date, and first semester already gone and eight months after admission, Law students (Part 1) are yet to start receiving/attending lectures.”
In their prayer, they called on the Lagos State Assembly to intervene so the students do not suffer loss. “Law students (Part 1) should be allowed to resume normal lectures forthwith and allowances made to enable them cover the lost ground. While the University authorities should continue in their effort to have the law faculty accredited. The law students (Part 1) should not be allowed to lose any session as a result of this impasse. The special matriculation as promised by the University should be conducted forthwith.”