President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday offered the clearest sign yet that his administration was in no haste to resolve the three-month-old strike by university lecturers, calling their demands “politicized” and urging the lecturers to return to work for the sake of the students.
On his fifth presidential media chat on the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, the president said the nation’s bitter politics had crept into the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, and was responsible for the refusal of the lecturers to suspend their action despite the government’s effort.
“In the past, they did not go this far when strikes were called off; but now politics has gone into everything,” the president said. He did not elaborate when pressed further by a five-member interview panel on his claim about ASUU demands being politicized.
Mr. Jonathan said his administration had made concessions for the strike to be resolved, and has demonstrated remarkable commitment to addressing the massive infrastructure in the universities, one of the key demands ASUU has made.
He said the lecturers have refused to accept the government’s explanations that broad range reforms cannot be achieved instantly.
“ASUU strike is very very unfortunate,” Mr Jonathan, himself a former lecturer, said. He said crisis in education, in developing countries would always continue.
The president said the biggest indication to his government’s commitment to such reforms was the decision to catalogue the perennial rot afflicting all the universities.
“Throughout this time, no government has taken inventory of all the problems in federal and state universities,” the president said. “We said this must change. But it cannot change overnight. So for ASUU to go on strike over infrastructure, they need to understand that we are serious about intervening starting with N100 billion.”
The president’s remarks on the strike was his first since lecturers downed tools in June, asking for improved pay and better funding for universities. They vowed not to resume until the government fully implements the last agreement both sides reached in 2009.
The lecturers have vowed not to accept partial implementation of the agreement, with multiple intervention by the Senate and the House of Representatives stalemated.
The government said the challenges of improved funding requires more time, and claims it has made concessions by providing initial funding.
As the negotiations deadlock, millions of students have remained stranded at home with each claim of quick resolution to the crisis turning out unrealistic.
Mr Jonathan’s comments on Sunday provided the strongest indication yet, that, save a change in decision, students will remain at home longer as the crisis stretches without a resolution.
Asked specifically what the way forward would be for the strike, the president said he was calling on the lecturers to resume work for the sake of the Nigerian children and to realize that the government was committed to improving education.
He said the 2009 agreement which ASUU has harped upon, was negotiated by officials incapable for such a responsibility as the agreement was “not implementable”.
“Even if we have all the money in the world we cannot change things overnight,” he said. “The members of ASUU are our brothers and sisters, they should look at these young people and look at the commitment of govt.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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It is a shame to the president who him self was a former lecturer.
ReplyDeleteIt has shown that the president is not a presidential material.
Only God knows the type of students he has produced while lecturing.
Look at the security situation in part of the North.
Yet he claim to have Boko Haram's members in his cabinet. Every day illegal refinery are destroy, JTF arrest oil thief, non has been jailed.
I think the best option for Jonathan is to quit the stage.
Or is it by all means he must remain and not knowing what to do?
He is a sentimental president. He lacks the capacity to lead Nigeria.
They say he's a former lecturer...I'll just like to know which higher institution he ever lectured at?
ReplyDeleteAnd who will make the change? You don't understand the fundamental problems with Nigeria. Until the ethnic. Religious and political demons in our countries leave us.......this country will never be governable.
ReplyDeleteSimple and short!...u have spoken d truth !...I salute u!
ReplyDeleteYou think in the same line with I. Mr. Joh lacks the capacity to rule.
ReplyDeleteNo plans to resolve ASUU crisis yet, ASUU strike is politicized - Jonathan
ReplyDeleteGEJ also said the 'occupy Nigeria' saga was politicized.
Anything that is out of favour with GEJ is politicized.
Why wouldn't they be politicized when you as a president stated that power can never leave PDP. You have more love for the diseased PDP compared to truthful and good governance.
More often than not, GEJ forgets he's d chief of armed forces of Nigeria. The government is polluted with lies, deceit and an unhealthy appetite for power, thus it can't know when the truth is staring it right in the face. May God help Nigeria.
In all fairness, I agree with the President that the content of the 2009 ASUU agreement was not implementable. This is partly because of the cost of implementing it in the current economic environment.
ReplyDeleteThe President, as a former lecturer, knows the plight of ASUU better than any other past President. Although the government reached a negotiated agreement in 2009 with ASUU, it is clear from the President statement that the agreement was not fit for purpose and unrealistic in the face of the current economic climate.
In the circumstance, I will encourage ASUU to suspend the strike and allow lecturers to return to class.
The coordinating Minister of the economy made it clear that the country cannot afford the cost of implementing the 2009 agreement. I expect ASUU to be sensitive to the current economic situation.
My message to ASUU is to allow the lecturers to return to classes and begin a reasonable and realistic demand through a negotiated settlement with the government. The interest of the whole nation is utmost priority.
Ur thinking is very lame, sentimental and shallow! Am not suprise bcoz uv been bought by president so can't say the thruth and u want 2 talk fairness? First of all, u think FG would have such agreement if they know it can't b implemented or ASUU demands are unrealistic? What is d national budget on education compared to other african countries poorer than Nigeria? D exorbitant sum all these lawmakers are earning can not improve our education? Go to neigbouring Ghana, not even southafrica or europe and compare their standard of education n instituition. For ur information d money Jonathan alone and his government are looting and embezzling is enough to resolve dis ASUU saga and improve our education sector. FG shuld resolve issues with ASUU 4 d sake of d future of naija student period! D truth is dat dis jonathan government is selfish, unproductive, unresultful and only thinking about winning 2015 election. If he had tackled boko haram, would they have slaughtered 50 innocents students? I don't expect u 2 know all these bcoz u can't think straight and u are corrupt as well jst like ur president GEJ..
DeleteBcos comment is free, animals will jus open dia mouth 2 talk. D ? Is, wich sector of d nation has reached global standard? Non. Politics has enveloped ASUU. 1 tin is certain, d strike wil surely bcom a tin of d past witout full implementation. So 4 comentators, always check d few places u'v been involve as an individual and c hw corrupt u'v been. Sentimental comentators makes no sence. So wise up!
ReplyDeletelecturers are fighting for themselves and not students.they had beta hang deir head up in shame and return to work
ReplyDeleteAm sure you are one of the many Nigerians who think teachers should die in poverty while the dullards they taught think of nothing but how to enrich themselves at the expense of the nation. It is alright to you that our legislators are the highest paid in the world. It however riles you that lecturers fight for themselves. Even if that were true what is so wrong about that anyway? Talk is cheap. Thinking requires effort. So talk on.
DeleteGEJ I support u, I as one of the Nigerian students, feel these lecturers are only being too selfish. The decay have been long before this administration. I remember there were strikes by ASUU during OBJ govt, which were called off with understanding from both the then govt and ASUU. Why did the ASUU not insist that then govt must fulfill all the conditions. The lecturers are just wicked to the students. Guess what will happen after the strike happens to be called-off. These ASUU will go back to school and start sufferring the student by giving them crash programmes and also be collecting money from the same students they are claiming to be fighting for. Over the periods after each past strike, these lecturer would return to school and made students suffer more. The would not want to teach, instead would prepare handouts or sorry something and force students to buy or fail their exams. Or they will make so difficult to pass theirs exams unless the students pay something. They are simply inhumane and wicked to Nigerian students. Only but very few of them do not indulge in this wicked practice. As govt has started doing something why can't the ASUU for the sake of student go back to school? They have been bought over the govt opposition that why ASUU officials can go to press and be insulting the Presidency. As long as Nigerians cannot see the hand writing on the wall, these evil leaders of ASUU will continue to us students at home.
ReplyDeleteThe president has said the right thing. So what else did ASUU want than to return back to classroom. After all half a bread is better than none.
ReplyDeleteI just don't know why people don't think straight,nigerians have been living on promises which are yet to be fulfill for the past decades.....GEJ said crisis in education in developing countries will always continue....why?...but there are many developing countries that have standard education....if ASUU strike is politicized,must u fall prey into ur enemy's trap Dr Jonathan?...for those of u that are criticizing ur fellow nigerians over this issue,may be u don't know that the only thing this democrazy has delivered to nigerians as goodwill is liberty of speech...So let them say their view on issues going on ?in Nigeria afterall it is our country...our Nigeria.
ReplyDeleteNigeria is a serious rotten stage.....corruption is d basis of all, both government and ASUU r political and GEJ is d worst president nigeria has ever got, d solution of nigeria is beyond our reach $ only God has d answa 2 it. Can u imagine even fuel attendants collect 'keg money' weneva u wanna buy petrol. Evry1 is corrupt....make una go abroad if u wan make am oo
ReplyDeletemake una no kill my president ooo,he his doing his best.By d grace of God all these problems 9ja is going through will come to an end.
ReplyDeleteGEJ should take a back sit. even foreigners are talking about the assests he is accumulating as a president and he cant pay the educational promise? and he goes about preaching abt him caring about education yet he indirectly tells us that this ASUU strike will not end if they dnt bend to want HE wants. its a shame
ReplyDelete