WORRIED by the protracted industrial action
embarked upon by public university lecturers
under the aegis of Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU), Vice-Chancellors of private
universities have expressed concern and
sympathy for the affected students, noting that
there was need to end the three-month-old
impasse between the Federal Government and
the striking lecturers.
The VCs of Bells University of Technology
(BELLSTECH), Prof. Isaac Adeyemi; Redeemer’s
University, Prof. Zachariah Adeyewa; Covenant
University, Prof. Charles Ayo; and Caleb
University, Professor Ayodeji Olukoju, while
expressing their discomfort, noted that
Nigeria’s educational system needs strategic
planning and restructuring to regain its lost
glory
The VC, Redeemer’s University, Prof. Adeyewa,
said “some of my children are also affected by
the strike and have been pleading with me to
send them to private varsities because they are
tired of staying at home. In fact, I want to
appreciate parents who are sending their
children to private varsities because they are
making a lot of sacrifices. I would have loved
all my children to attend private varsities but I
can’t afford the tuition fees.
“We are not happy that some of our children
are becoming grand-parents at home because
of the ongoing imbroglio between government
and ASUU. The truth is that government and
the citizens are not totally committed as the
average parent will want to send his wards to
smaller African countries to acquire education,
where they may be lost to foreign cultures.”
Lamenting the unending industrial action by
unions in the country’s public tertiary
institutions, BELLSTECH VC, Adeyemi, said
parties going into an agreement, especially
between government and staff unions, should
put up an implementation strategy that must
be acknowledged by the parties.
“This way, if there are changes in the
agreement due to the evolving realities of life,
both parties must be carried along and be
willing to re-negotiate. We need to have a
holistic view of the project called Nigeria and
agreement should be based on current realities
of life because no situation is static. But I
insist that there must be constant interaction
and mutual agreement between both parties.
“If government says this is what she can afford
now, the next thing is to agree on an
implementation strategy for the balance.
However, we shouldn’t wish away the fact that
those in government are also Nigerians and the
good of our education system is their concern.
It takes a lot to fund education and these
funds can’t be reared overnight, making
strategic planning necessary to restructure our
education system.
Similarly, the VC, Covenant University, Prof.
Ayo reiterated the need for a state of
emergency to be declared in the education
sector.
“It’s unfortunate that public varsities have
been shut-down for over two months,
especially at a time when access to and quality
of education in the country are low. ASUU
should not be totally blamed for standing their
grounds, because government needs to show
more commitment to education.
“The pertinent question we should ask is- are
we able to separate adequate funding of
education and quality because with our paltry
percentage of annual budgetary allocation less
than 10 per cent compared to countries like
Ghana, South-Africa, our standards will
continue to dwindle. This calls for the need for
a state of emergency in the nation’s
educational system.”
On his part, the VC, Caleb University,
Professor Olukoju, charged government to
prioritize funding of education, which is a
critical sector of the economy.
“Funding of education is the core issue here
but government isn’t keeping an agreement
that wasn’t signed under duress. This whole
situation is like when someone buys goods on
credit and can’t pay on the date he promised
to pay.
“I will suggest that government focuses on
funding education rather than spending
frivolously of things that don’t contribute to
the economy as education.
On the way forward BELLSTECH VC called on
FG/ASUU to device a way to end this
protracted impasse, saying “if government
can’t sustain education at tertiary level, it must
declare its position without wasting time
because it takes more than just giving peanuts
as funds to education.”
Covenant University VC urged ASUU and
government to arrive at a compromise and see
how they can utilize the available funds
disbursed to the sector. If the desirable is not
available, the available becomes desirable.



http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/09/asuufg-face-off-private-varsities-vcs-call-for-truce/

When is this going to end

Ok na..

well meaning Nigerians,i hope this strike ends soon......why do i think that this strike is politically motivated?

Am tired of commenting on any post concerning ASSU

prem love: Am tired of commenting on any post concerning ASSU

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ASUU not ASSU