Lagos State University (LASU) has employed more than 80 students to work in its library on part-time basis.
The University Librarian, Dr Oduwole Adebanbo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos that the initiative was a work-study project aimed at empowering the students.
Adebanbo said it was also geared towards developing the students’ employability skill.
“Management of this university is committed to developing the employability skills and work experience of our students.
“We also want them to earn substantial money while they school here.
“The project is just one of many the university management is working on,’’ he said.
According to him, any of the students, who performs well, will be retained by the university.
Adebanbo advised the students to be at their best in terms of dressing, dedication and maturity.
“Keep doing your level best; we will retain the outstanding and exceptional ones among you.’’
The President of LASU Students Union (LASUSU), Kappo Samuel, described the initiative as laudable, saying that it was fallout of existing cooperation between the university management and the union.
Samuel said the 80 students were shortlisted out of hundreds of applicants and the selection process was transparent.
“The work-study project is a synergy programme between LASUSU and the management of the institution.
“It will employ over 500 students at its peak as the process for other similar opportunities will soon be announced.
“Students interested in the library work were asked to submit application; they were interviewed.
“The criterion use in selecting the best employees included good composition, grammatical structure and handwriting,’’ Samuel said.
According to him, the beneficiaries had a four-day intensive training and had started work on July 8.
He said the students would get stipends ranging from N10, 000 monthly.
Samuel said the students would work only on weekends so that the project would not affect their academic activities.
Their schedule of duty includes retrieving books with cards and sorting retrieved books back to shelves, amongst other duties. (NAN)
RUKY/AIB/TA