The statement issued by the Academic Staff Union of Universities on August 28, declaring a total and indefinite strike, clearly indicates that the union is as deceitful as the Buhari government it is fighting. After inflicting so much pain on students in Nigeria’s public universities and their parents, the union turns around to say it is pained by its decision to declare an indefinite strike.
The Public Relations Officer, National Parent-Teacher Association of Nigeria, Dr. Ademola Ekundayo, was apt when he declared that the university teachers have persisted with the strike because most of them work elsewhere. He adds: “We have found ourselves in an unfortunate situation and, under normal circumstances, parents should not offer such incentives and help that they rejected, but we discovered that we are at the receiving end and bearing the effect of the problem between FG and ASUU.
Osodeke’s further comments after government’s decision to enforce the no-work no-pay labour law were depressing. He naively gave himself up. His eruption clearly shows that the strikes by the teachers were chiefly about money for them. He said, “The minister is joking. If they fail to pay, we will not teach those students; we won’t make up for that period. We will start a new session. We won’t conduct examinations; we will start a fresh session totally.
University autonomy must happen for this endless drivel called “ASUU strike” to end. This is what Osodeke and other teachers must campaign for. Public universities must exercise independent control over their day-to-day operations. Administratively, they should constitute their governing councils. Federal and state governments must hands-off these public universities so that they can be managed as non-profit businesses. They should no longer be funded from budgets.
NANS declared: “Some of them are not in any way affected by their attempt to collapse the sector for their selfish and inconsiderate gains. ASUU had succeeded initially to masquerade their strike action as being in the interest of Nigeria and in the interest of the teeming Nigerian students.
Am not sure
The decision on strike actions is decided by the ASUU executives (representatives of all the universities in Nigeria) and not the ASUU President.
How?
The useless article I have read this year. U said ASUU is insensitive to students yet u fail to blame the government that has failed to live up to its responsibilities. I am not surprised though, brown envelope investigation
Can’t NUC regulate the university system such that no private university is allowed to engage part time teachers. After all, we have sufficient heads and hands to fill teaching vacancies in the nation.