DELSU PGSAN Executive Visits VC, Lists Demands, Achievements

By Daniel Dafe

Executive Members of the Postgraduate Students Association of Nigerian Students, PGSAN, Delta State University, Abraka, recently paid a courtesy visit to the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor Andy Egwunyenga.

The leaders who were led by the President, Comrade Ohwovoriole Oviebemre on the courtesy call, were received by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Prof. (Mrs.) Rose Okoh, who hinted that the VC was unavoidably absent.

Speaking during the visit that was to congratulate the Egwunyenga-led administration for the successful 16th convocation of the institution and to list certain demands, Comrade Oviebemre, said postgraduate students were unable to access the internet service in DELSU and thus called on the administration to look into this.

Furthermore, he urged DELSU to ensure that the virtual learning paid for by students should be better implemented.

His words, “Not all students actually come to town to just take lectures, some of them are far away. We know that there are some universities that do this virtual learning thing and yes those universities are not better or stronger than Delta State University which you have made today, so we ought to believe that this our appeal can also be taken into notice sir.”

The students also appealed to the VC to open more doors of opportunities to them, adding that they will appreciate it if he grants them an audience speedily whenever the need arises.

On demands, they continued: “And again sir we want to appeal that from the thirty percent hostel accommodation that is being given to the post graduate students, that executive members be considered to get a portion of these accommodations given to them to stay because some of the postgraduate students are residents in town here. They do not really travel out of town so as a President or Secretary or Treasurer, PRO, etc, we can have an accommodation there that you come to town you can stay there for three to four days in the course of your lectures.

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“Also, we want to appeal to you that PGSAN, being a strong association in the university because of its students’ size, which I think is contributing immensely to the IGR of the university, that when some of this research grants come in, instead of all just going to academic staff alone, there are some of these students that should be considered to probably pair with the academic staff or grants also given to students who are tested and trusted.”

DELSU PGSAN Executive Visits VC, Lists Demands, Achievements

He also appealed to the VC that the association should be carried along in the happenings in the university, noting that they seem to have been sidelined.

Meanwhile, PGSAN also appealed to the management for an official vehicle.

Oviebemre also hinted to the management that when students learnt that the school fee was increased, some mobilized for protests but they had to calm them down.

Some of the issues he said were spotted from the recent school fees breakdown, include duplication of payment for plagiarism check, while calling on the institution to do something about it.

He also said students are not aware of the need and how to benefit from the payment for insurance premium.

The PGSAN chief also said that students are not giving the University Policy Manual even though it is paid for.

On his administration’s achievements, he said that they built a signage/photo stand beside the post graduate school, just as he thanked the VC for the approval to carry out the project.

He continued: “Also, as an association as a way of giving back to our students, we formed a Research Assistant Committee. This committee is being run by students. What we had in mind was to get the best students who are good in research from different faculties so that they can assist those who are not too sound and not too good in carrying out their research. This is not for them to do the work for them but to guide them. So, the committee members are from different faculties. We have two members representing each faculty,” saying no student pays for these services.

According to him, those in the said committee were given engagement letters and also will be paid stipends at the end of the session for what they are doing because they spend their time and knowledge to ensure that students become grounded and eventually are able to take the name of the university to higher heights.

Continuing, he said: “We are also running a program of plagiarism check. We know that times are quite difficult right now, so we are ensuring that before students submit their work, they scale through and not be given 25 percent when it should be 20 percent and thus turned back to rework it. It is being run by the association.”

Adding: “If the internet was there, somehow it will reduce the cost of the association running the plagiarism check for students and members of the association because we do buy data all the time to do all of that.”

“So what we are trying to say here Is not for us to be given WiFi. We don’t know if we can get something like a mast that is just somewhere around BMS or at the front of the professors’ office because once students are unable to access the internet at the moment. We see that there is internet service, but it has been pass worded and we don’t know how, but we know that there is a way students can gain access to this because checking from our breakdown in school fees there is internet services that is being paid for. So, if we get that sir, we will really appreciate it. It makes life easier and even ensures effective research because we can download articles, journals and all that so that we can be more effective in carrying our research.”

Responding, Okoh, thanked the visitors, while stating that the issues raised will be communicated to the VC.

On the issue of the internet, she tasked them on having a meeting with the IT Director to help them get access to the already available internet in their area.

On virtual learning, she said the DLMS was already in place and postgraduate students can benefit from this arrangement if they choose to.

Speaking further, she said students do not need to seek to be part of grants won by academic staff, stressing that they can apply to get grants and win a few if their proposals are well written.

In her words: “Get professionals to teach you how to write good proposals and you will be surprised that you will win grants. Build your capacity to win grants. There are also TETFUND grants for students.”

On being carried along in happenings in the institution by the management, she urged the association to assert themselves just like the Students’ Union Government, SUG, has done.

The executive members of PGSAN on the visit were Ohwovoriole Oviebemre -President; Nwabuoku Ndoka Shalom -PRO; Owromojomo Marian – Welfare Officer; Egheneji Oghenetejiri – Director of Finance and Miracle -Oghara Representative.

They were also accompanied by some postgraduate students- Abel Ekuigbo and Mr. Idolo of Faculties of Education and Arts respectively.