The Dean of Student Affairs at the University of Jos (UNIJOS), Professor Chris Piwuna, has conceded that the institution’s student hostels require urgent maintenance following media scrutiny.
The Dean’s admission follows reports highlighting the poor condition of student accommodation and the various challenges faced by students living on campus.
Responding to the findings, Piwuna noted that investigative reports regarding the university’s administration serve as a necessary prompt for the management to remain vigilant. He stated that such reports could “always put us on our toes,” suggesting that media accountability plays a role in the university’s internal oversight and responsiveness to student welfare concerns.
Improvements for students with disabilities
While acknowledging the deficit in general hostel upkeep, the Dean emphasised that the university administration is taking targeted steps to address specific infrastructural gaps. Among these measures is the ongoing effort to improve facilities designed to accommodate students with disabilities.
Piwuna noted that the university has already begun implementing steps to ensure that the campus and its hostels are more inclusive. This move aims to provide better access and improved living conditions for students with physical challenges, a group that often faces significant hurdles in older, poorly maintained academic environments.
The admission of poor maintenance comes at a time when many federal universities in Nigeria are struggling with ageing infrastructure and insufficient funding for student welfare. As student populations increase, the pressure on existing hostel facilities often leads to rapid deterioration, which can impact both the living standards and the academic focus of the student body.
The university’s response indicates an awareness of these systemic issues, even as it seeks to balance limited resources with the need for facility upgrades. The focus on disability-friendly infrastructure is a specific attempt to meet modern educational standards of inclusivity within the Nigerian higher education sector.
The university management is expected to provide further details regarding the timeline for broader hostel renovations and the completion of accessibility projects for students with disabilities.
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