Staff of the College of Education (Technical), Lafiagi, in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, staged a protest on Wednesday to draw attention to the worsening condition of the institution.
The protesters blamed the decline on the absence of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) support since 2019.
The protest, which was monitored by The News Chronicle via a live broadcast on NupekoTV, saw staff members gather at the college gate, chanting solidarity songs and carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Education First, Include Us In TETFUND Now.”
One of the protesters expressed frustration over the situation, saying, “there has been no progress in this college for years. We are grateful that salaries are paid regularly, but when it comes to facilities, almost all the buildings here were built with TETFUND support. For six years now, no new projects or renovations have been carried out. If nothing is done, this college may collapse.”
Another staff member added that the state government appeared to have sidelined the institution.
“Since 2019, we have been suffering. Other tertiary institutions in Kwara State enjoy TETFUND intervention universities, polytechnics, and colleges in Ilorin and Oro, for instance. But Lafiagi is left out. Almost every building in those schools is a TETFUND project, yet we get nothing.”
The staff warned that without urgent intervention, the college’s survival could be at risk.
The protest highlights the challenges faced by rural institutions in Kwara State, even as the government continues to showcase its achievements in education.
