Parents and students at the Covenant University, Ota, Ogun
State, have described as “unjust” the suspension of undergraduates at
the institution for not attending its Easter ‘Youth Alive’ programme.
It is compulsory for them to attend the programme organised by the
faith-based institution.
A 400-level student told Journalists on Wednesday that over 200 students were affected by the decision of the university.
He said, “We were going for the services in the morning and
night and people were getting tired of it because we were also preparing
for exams. So, the Vice- Chancellor got angry and ordered that those
who missed the services be sanctioned.
“Some were suspended for four weeks and those who had missed eight services for the four days got a year.”
Another 300-level student said some of them have been
prevented from sitting for exams and they had no means of protesting the
sanctions which he said was ‘unfair’.
“The mood in school is really tense. Though students are not
protesting but they are angry because you are preparing for an exam
you’re not sure you will sit for, until the paper starts.
“They stopped me from sitting for a paper last week because I
did not go for a service and I don’t know if I will be allowed in today
either.”
A concerned parent who took to a social media platform to
register her displeasure said the punishment especially for final year
students was not commiserate with the offences committed.