BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

BENIN CITY—STUDENTS of the Edo State School of Nursing, yesterday, protested alleged imposition of a principal in the school, non‑accreditation of the school in the last two years and insufficient teachers in the state-owned institution.

*Oshiomhole

The placard-carrying protesters lamented that the state government transferred the principal of the State School of Midwifery, whom, according them, is not a nurse, to head their school, asserting that they need someone who would understand the challenges being faced in the school.

They protested to the state Government House, the Edo State House of Assembly complex and the state secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Benin City.

The Vice President, Students Union Government (SUG) of the school, Marris Osadolor, said: “What we want now is how to get our accreditation and not changing principals from school to school.

“Until government restores our accreditation and give us a new principal, the school will not open and that is the reason we are protesting.

“They assured us that they are going to do something about our accreditation. We don’t have enough lecturers, no school bus as promised and we are demanding that those things be restored.

“The few lecturers we have are just managing to teach three to four courses. We lecture ourselves too and we don’t want that anymore.”

Efforts to speak with the Commissioner for Health, Dr Aihanuwa Eregie proved abortive. However, an official who pleaded anonymity explained that “the principal was sent there in acting capacity because their substantive principal retired few days ago and with time, a substantive principal will be appointed. But in any case, what is their interest about who becomes their principal? Their responsibility is to go and study in the school.”

On the accreditation of the school, he said: “The non‑accreditation does not affect the students already in the school. The school suspended admission of new intakes while those already there would complete their programme. The state government through the ministry is already working to ensure that the school and that of midwifery get their accreditations back.”