The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on
Sunday urged both the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU) to amicably settle the lingering crisis between them
leading to incessant strikes in the education sector in the best interest of
students.
Addressing a press conference at the secretariat of the
Students Union Government (SUG) of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University
(ATBU), Bauchi, National Director of Administration and Strategy of NANS,
Prince Mohammed Sani Hassan, called on the Federal Government to immediately
summon an emergency stakeholders’ meeting in the education sector where lasting
solutions would be proffered to challenges militating against the smooth
operation of the sector.
While saying that strikes have become a norm in the
education sector, Hassan declared that incessant industrial actions had not
only hurt students but also their parents who had been labouring very hard to
sponsor their children’s education.
According to him, “The university strike in Nigeria is
becoming a norm with successive governments, including the current
administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, failing to meet the demands and
fulfil the 2008 agreement signed by the Federal Government and the ASUU.
“This strike has continued to hurt more the students and
their parents, who labour very hard and in the end have little in their pockets
to take care of the needs of their respective children in Nigerian
universities.
“It is in the light of the above that the ASUU strike seems
to be a festival in Nigeria that happens every year leaving the consequences
directly on the students to bear.
“It is an unarguable discussion that a four-year course now
takes not less than seven to eight years for a Nigerian student who is battling
tooth and nail to survive in the current economic realities.
“We, therefore, deem it fit and necessary as stakeholders in
this struggle to address you on these lingering confrontations between members
of the Academic Staff Union of Universities and the Federal Government to end
this long feud that is keeping the Nigerian students away from their
classrooms.”
He, therefore, appealed to the government to fulfil its part
of the agreement with the lecturers.
“The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of
Education, under the able supervision of Mallam Adamu Adamu and the Minister of
Labour, Chris Ngige, should ensure compliance to the earlier adopted agreement.
“The government and ASUU are stakeholders and at the same
time, team players in this game that has caused this government its reputation
in the education sector having been pro-ASUU in the past,” Hassan said.
According to him, the education sector had yet to come out
of the effects of last year’s strike by ASUU members before they embarked on
the current strike, adding that incessant strike had affected the chances of
the less privileged to grow to the peak of their career.
Hassan submitted that “we are yet to come out from the
negative effects of similar acts of last year as this strike is never expected
to end soon. We all saw what happened last year when this kind of strike
occurred where the Federal Government and ASUU ended it at a roundtable.
“This strike has continued to affect greatly the chances of
the less privileged to grow to the peak of their career because all the
students currently at home are that of the downtrodden.
“ASUU leadership must call their members to order and let
them know that there is an increasing number of graduates sitting at home and
considering the scarcely available employment opportunities should served as a
warning signal to the university lecturers.”
The NANS director asserted that education is the right of
every Nigerian child and as such should be given priority attention by the
government.
He added that illiteracy and unemployment have been
traumatising Nigerians, appealing to the government to invest in the education
sector.
“The government must know that education is a right of every
Nigerian child, hence it is to be prioritised to secure the future of the
nation amidst the increasing Insecurity.
“Illiteracy and increasing unemployment have been identified
as the major factors that continue to traumatise Nigerians. Then, it becomes
more necessary for government to create millions of investment in the education
sector and ensure wealth creation through empowerment programmes,” he added.
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