TARABA STUDENTS SEEK VEHICLE, OFFICES AS COMMISSIONER CLARIFIES GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
The National Union of Taraba State Students, NUTASS, and the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Joint Campus Council, have appealed to the Taraba State Government to address challenges affecting students, including transportation, accommodation and funding of student activities.
The student leaders made the appeal during a courtesy visit to the Taraba State Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Dr. Mike Dio Jen, in Jalingo.
Speaking during the meeting, the NUTASS President appealed to the government to facilitate the collection of union dues through tertiary institutions during student registration to strengthen the union’s financial capacity.
She also requested office accommodation for NUTASS in tertiary institutions and urged the Commissioner to remind Governor Agbu Kefas of the vehicle earlier promised to the union.
According to her, recent emergencies involving Taraba students outside the state, including a fire incident at Gombe State University, demonstrated the need for the union to have reliable transportation to respond quickly when students are in distress.
She commended the state government for its intervention during the crisis in Jos, particularly the provision of transportation that assisted stranded Taraba students.
The NUTASS President also requested an opportunity for student leaders to meet Governor Kefas to appreciate his administration’s interventions in the education sector.
The Chairman of the NANS Joint Campus Council backed the requests and raised concerns over the high cost of off-campus accommodation, particularly for students of Taraba State University.
Responding, Commissioner for Tertiary Education Dr. Mike Dio Jen said the ministry remained committed to students’ welfare and maintaining harmonious relationships between students and the management of tertiary institutions.
On NUTASS’ previous involvement in collecting students’ biodata across universities, the Commissioner clarified that such an exercise was primarily the responsibility of the Taraba State Scholarship Board.
He also advised NUTASS to strengthen its recognised branches and student structures to generate funds rather than depending on the ministry to finance union activities.
Dio Jen urged the various student bodies to maintain unity, discipline and peaceful coexistence while avoiding rivalry arising from overlapping responsibilities.
The Commissioner highlighted some of the Kefas administration’s education policies, including free primary and secondary education, free vocational and technical skills programmes and a 50 per cent reduction in tertiary institution school fees.
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He assured the student leaders that he would remind Governor Kefas of the vehicle earlier promised to the union.
The meeting ended with both sides expressing commitment to continued dialogue on issues affecting Taraba students within and outside the state.
