Tension is said to be mounting at the campus of the PYJ Polytechnic University in Ganta City over the shortage of inadequate professional staff.
Recently, the students went on the rampage, blocking all entrances to the campus, obstructing every academic activity within the campus.
The students alleged that there is no mathematics teacher and the salary structure is not encouraging, leaving most of staff to abandon classes most of the time.
Due to the ongoing tension, on Friday, November 8, 2024, the proprietor, Sen. Prince Yormie Johnson and Dr. Edward Lama Wonkeryor held a long meeting with the aggrieved students and staff as a means of containing the situation.
What became of the meeting was not disclosed to the press, but Dr. Workeryor, who is also a co – chair on the Board of Trustees, confirmed there is some rigmarole at the campus, though he did not give details.
“There will always be problems at the University campus, but we are going to handle it,” he said.
Senator Johnson did not make any attempt to speak to the press about the ongoing students protest, despite efforts by the Daily Observer to speak to him through the University President Dr. Martin Y. Sumo.
Unconfirmed reports reaching the Daily Observer suggest that the student population at the University has declined drastically this semester to about 150, due to the decline in staff also.
“We expect for some of the subsidy from government to be used to increase the staff salaries in this institution, but Senator Johnson is saying the subsidy is not meant for that,” said a person who was part of the meeting, but asked not to be named.
“The school is declining, students are dropping, instructors are not coming regularly because their salaries are not enough,” another student shouted as he left the meeting hall.
Accordingly, the monthly cost of salaries in line with the payroll for the University is about US$8,000, which the institution is having difficulty generating because the intake from tuition is not enough.
“Senator Johnson wants the school to run on the intake from students, not the subsidy,” the students said.
The PYJ Polytechnic University was established in 2014 by Nimba County Senator Prince Johnson. It began full academic activities in 2021 as a full-fledged undergraduate institution.
There was a huge influx of students from the beginning up to last year, but the enrollment number has dropped significantly since this year.
During the visit of this reporter on the campus, the entire campus appeared as though hardly any activities were going on.
Some of the facilities, including the girls dormitory, cafeteria, the mini sport stadium, among others, are yet to be completed.
There appears some discouragement among the students, with many threatening to leave, if nothing is done to increase the instructors’ salaries and improve other conditions on the campus.
“Most of our friends are leaving because of frustration and, if the senator doesn’t have the ability, then it is better to turn it over to the government now,” said one of the students.
