The Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku has charged striking lecturers of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to quit playing politics and go back to the classroom.

Speaking at the monthly press conference on government activities and programmes, Maku said the strike action has lasted too long and is now pulling down the education sector which the lecturers are claiming to want to save from collapse.

He challenged ASUU to re-open the schools if they are truly interested in the development of the sector saying government has done their best and cannot ground other sectors of the economy and face education alone.

The lingering ASUU strike which is inching close to its fourth month now has rendered Nigerian university students idle, and with no obvious end to the strike, as neither FG nor ASUU is ready to shift grounds, thereby crippling the education sector of the country.
Source: http://www.channelstv.com/home/2013/10/22/quit-playing-politics-and-go-back-to-class-maku-tells-ASUU/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

You can't use such commanding tone on these ASUU guys.

kaka22: The Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku has charged striking lecturers of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to quit playing politics and go back to the classroom.

Speaking at the monthly press conference on government activities and programmes, Maku said the strike action has lasted too long and is now pulling down the education sector which the lecturers are claiming to want to save from collapse.

He challenged ASUU to re-open the schools if they are truly interested in the development of the sector saying government has done their best and cannot ground other sectors of the economy and face education alone.

The lingering ASUU strike which is inching close to its fourth month now has rendered Nigerian university students idle, and with no obvious end to the strike, as neither FG nor ASUU is ready to shift grounds, thereby crippling the education sector of the country.
Source: http://www.channelstv.com/home/2013/10/22/quit-playing-politics-and-go-back-to-class-maku-tells-ASUU/?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter

Go back to classroom with such a command tone as if they are his subjects. Talking to intellectuals that senior him in that manner is being rude, not for the fact he's a minister with jumbo pay package, that should not make him to talk down on them like that in such manner.
Not that am in support of ASUU for taking it this far

FG hv bin begging ASUU 2 call off d strike but wat ASUU cud say is "begging cannot end strike"dats rude in my own opinion.....its really frustrating.let's give Fg some credits,@least dey re showing concern

Maku is right. It's high time ASUU is told the truth that Government cannot afford such huge amount only on them alone.
There are other unions in Education sector deserving of funding too i.e ASUP, NUT etc
The demand for payment of 800 billion yearly to ASUU is very unrealistic given resources available to FG.
It's common sense and I don't know how those lecturers have failed to understand this.

fabby26:

Go back to classroom with such a command tone as if they are his subjects. Talking to intellectuals that senior him in that manner is being rude, not for the fact he's a minister with jumbo pay package, that should not make him to talk down on them like that in such manner.
Not that am in support of ASUU for taking it this far

In fairness to Gej, he has really tried to dialogue with ASUU but the lecturers appear stubborn and desperate to paint the FG as insensitive to the plight of Nigerian students and the educational sector. The strike is being sustained in bad faith.

No other administration has funded the Educational sector more than Jonathan has done in the past 2 years.
First, Jonathan increased education funding to all time high of 450 billion from less than 300 billion it used to be before 2011.
Secondly, Jonathan specialized TETFUNDS with increased budgetary allocation.
Since the strike began, Jonathan has given additional 130 billion to ASUU. No other administration has coughed out this much for ASUU.
It's unparalleled. ASUU should be considerate and call of this strike in the interest of the very students whom they are fighting for.
The funding deficit of education is an age long problem that cannot be solved in one fell swoop.
Let reason prevail.

I love Maku. He has a way of hitting the nail on the head without mincing words.enough of pampering. Let the truth be told, ASUU is playing politics with this strike. It's all about 2015 all clothed in the garb of concern for education sector. Where have they been all this while before coming to ask for 3 trillion? Why are state Universities on strike too? ASUU is now a political party.

Arobam:

In fairness to Gej, he has really tried to dialogue with ASUU but the lecturers appear stubborn and desperate to paint the FG as insensitive to the plight of Nigerian students and the educational sector. The strike is being sustained in bad faith.

No other administration has funded the Educational sector more than Jonathan has done in the past 2 years.
First, Jonathan increased education funding to all time high of 450 billion from less than 300 billion it used to be before 2011.
Secondly, Jonathan specialized TETFUNDS with increased budgetary allocation.
Since the strike began, Jonathan has given additional 130 billion to ASUU. No other administration has coughed out this much for ASUU.
It's unparalleled. ASUU should be considerate and call of this strike in the interest of the very students whom they are fighting for.
The funding deficit of education is an age long problem that cannot be solved in one fell swoop.
Let reason prevail.

TRUE!

Arobam:

In fairness to Gej, he has really tried to dialogue with ASUU but the lecturers appear stubborn and desperate to paint the FG as insensitive to the plight of Nigerian students and the educational sector. The strike is being sustained in bad faith.

No other administration has funded the Educational sector more than Jonathan has done in the past 2 years.
First, Jonathan increased education funding to all time high of 450 billion from less than 300 billion it used to be before 2011.
Secondly, Jonathan specialized TETFUNDS with increased budgetary allocation.
Since the strike began, Jonathan has given additional 130 billion to ASUU. No other administration has coughed out this much for ASUU.
It's unparalleled. ASUU should be considerate and call of this strike in the interest of the very students whom they are fighting for.
The funding deficit of education is an age long problem that cannot be solved in one fell swoop.
Let reason prevail.

fund like how? , when none of the financial agreement hav been met since 2009. Pls be constructive with ur argument.

Mallamabdul: I love Maku. He has a way of hitting the nail on the head without mincing words.enough of pampering. Let the truth be told, ASUU is playing politics with this strike. It's all about 2015 all clothed in the garb of concern for education sector. Where have they been all this while before coming to ask for 3 trillion? Why are state Universities on strike too? ASUU is now a political party.

This wont help us the student, It will only make ASUU be much tougher. Maku should hav use amicable words and not provoke the lecturers more

igbawo ni maku koni ku?

who are dey? Dose dirty idiots dat r very close to death? Cant GEJ even sack dem all nd employ fresh nd hot brainz? ASUU my shit. Morda fucker

ASUU is gradually killing the very educational system which they pretend to protect.
Right inside the inner recesses of their mind,They know that FG cannot meet all their demands. It's totally impossible. But yet they insist on keeping innocent students at home even after the govt has committed 100 billion to infrastructure and 30 billion for their allowances.
Well meaning Nigerians should appeal to ASUU to heed to common sense.

FG BUDGET 2013

KEY ALLOCATIONS

Works – N183.5 billion; Power - N74.26 billion; Education – N426.53 billion; Health – N279.23 billion; Defence – N348.91 billion; Police – N319.65 billion; and Agriculture & Rural Development – N81.41 billion

It's quite obvious that education got the single largest allocation in the 2013 budget more than any other ministry. That notwithstanding, GEJ has approved the release of additional and extra budgetary funds to ASUU amounting to 130B Naira. What else does ASUU want? Can't someone tell these lecturers that Govt will not grind to a halt just to fund only ASUU? I don't understand.

Arobam:

In fairness to Gej, he has really tried to dialogue with ASUU but the lecturers appear stubborn and desperate to paint the FG as insensitive to the plight of Nigerian students and the educational sector. The strike is being sustained in bad faith.

No other administration has funded the Educational sector more than Jonathan has done in the past 2 years.
First, Jonathan increased education funding to all time high of 450 billion from less than 300 billion it used to be before 2011.
Secondly, Jonathan specialized TETFUNDS with increased budgetary allocation.
Since the strike began, Jonathan has given additional 130 billion to ASUU. No other administration has coughed out this much for ASUU.
It's unparalleled. ASUU should be considerate and call of this strike in the interest of the very students whom they are fighting for.
The funding deficit of education is an age long problem that cannot be solved in one fell swoop.
Let reason prevail.

I concur. The way they talk you would think Jonathan has not given them a kobo. ASUU is being sponsored for this. They know it.

Appliedmaths.:
You can't use such commanding tone on these ASUU guys.

There is nothing commanding about Maku's choice of words. He only charged them to suspend the strike and save education from further collapse. Is that too much to ask for?

dayo23: fund like how? , when none of the financial agreement hav been met since 2009. Pls be constructive with ur argument.

Yes, funds. Go and investigate the figure that FG allocated for education in the 2009 Budget and compare it with the present 2013 Budget, you would notice the significant increase. Besides, you ought to be aware that Ngozi Okonjo Iweala announced the release of 130B as partial fulfillment of FG's agreement with ASUU.

Zutchy: FG BUDGET 2013

KEY ALLOCATIONS

Works – N183.5 billion; Power - N74.26 billion; Education – N426.53 billion; Health – N279.23 billion; Defence – N348.91 billion; Police – N319.65 billion; and Agriculture & Rural Development – N81.41 billion

It's quite obvious that education got the single largest allocation in the 2013 budget more than any other ministry. That notwithstanding, GEJ has approved the release of additional and extra budgetary funds to ASUU amounting to 130B Naira. What else does ASUU want? Can't someone tell these lecturers that Govt will not grind to a halt just to fund only ASUU? I don't understand.

Thank you for this information. ASUU needs to reconsider and suspend this strike for now while pressurizing for more funding.

kaka22:

He challenged ASUU to re-open the schools if they are truly interested in the development of the sector saying government has done their best and cannot ground other sectors of the economy and face education alone.

MOTION SECONDED

While I appreciate ASUU's demand for proper funding of tertiary institutions in Nigeria, the point must however be made that FG under Jonathan has done its best to meet the demands and it's irrational for the striking lecturers not to accept to go back to class in the interim. The long gap in funding cannot just be bridged overnight.

Apreel: FG hv bin begging ASUU 2 call off d strike but wat ASUU cud say is "begging cannot end strike"dats rude in my own opinion.....its really frustrating.let's give Fg some credits,@least dey re showing concern

Give FG credit? For what course.....Look as far as I am concern FG has not showed any commitment for these past four years since the agreement was signed....nothing has been done . If FG has shown some commitment over the years in fulfiling the said amount of 1.5trillion spread it out for these four years. I don't think ASUU will have any course to embark on strike...Now ASUU wants the money in lump and at once, and all FG could say to us is that ASUU demand is unrealisable. At least FGN should've shown some sense of committment....In that strike action pays nobody, we shouldn't be blinded from the fact

Arobam:

Yes, funds. Go and investigate the figure that FG allocated for education in the 2009 Budget and compare it with the present 2013 Budget, you would notice the significant increase. Besides, you ought to be aware that Ngozi Okonjo Iweala announced the release of 130B as partial fulfillment of FG's agreement with ASUU.

I THINK YOU SHOULD GO THROUGH THE 2009 AGREEMENT THEN YOU WILL REALISED THEY HAVNT EVEN FULFILLED HALF OF THE AGREEMENT. I THINK FG MAKE A MISTAKE TO HAVE SIGN SUCH AN IMPOSSIBLE MISSION