The All-Africa Students’ Union has expressed worries over the level of conflict, insecurity, and political instability, which has led to the insecurity being experienced in campuses across the continent, as well as the numerous challenges in managing the situation by the leadership of the African Union and various Governments in Africa.
The union, in a statement by its president, Osisiogu Osikenyi, said it has become obvious that the implementation of the African Union Agenda 2063, aimed at the economic progress of the continent, cannot be achieved without Peace and Security in the region.
The union disclosed that the number of out-of-school-children in Africa has hit over 100million with Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tanzania, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and South Sudan topping Global figures, mainly due to armed conflicts, insecurity, and political instability across the continent.
The union, therefore, called on more counties in Africa to endorse and respect the Safe Schools Declaration currently supported by 108 countries to take adequate measures to better protect students, teachers, schools, and universities from attack during conflict, including by refraining from using schools for military purposes.
Speaking on the signing of the Students Loan Bill into law and decision to establish Education Bank by President Bola Tinubu; the union commended similar policies by other Governments in Africa.
It lamented that every year, the cost of studying in institutions of learning is becoming unbearable for students who squeeze out an average of 3,000 US dollars in 2024; institutions of higher learning in Africa have gone on a spree of fee hike with little or no palliative for students save for some Governments that put in place succour that come the way of indigent students in the country.
