Nigeria students need to take a more active position on issues that affect them, writes Joe O. Odey

The federal government in 2013 signed an agreement with the Nigerian university system to expend N1.3 trillion on the rehabilitation of our public universities in an effort to raise them to acceptable standards and to be able to produce self-reliant, employable graduates.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan paid N200 billion for upgrade works to commence in the 84 public universities across the country. The outstanding balance of N1.1 trillion was to be paid in annual tranches for five years.

After that 2013 disbursement, the federal government failed to make the subsequent yearly payment expected in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018; prompting the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to embark on the strike that is currently ongoing.


After the 2013 ASUU – FG accord, the federal government has apparently shown very little (if any) interest in addressing this quality of tertiary education issue being canvassed by ASUU. Even the government of change which rode to power in 2015 promising to totally revamp the education sector has done very little to keep to the accord – refusing to pay the 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 tranches of payments totalling N880 billion to the universities.

This government apathy towards education has been plausibly attributed to the fact that the offspring of policymakers and government officials in the corridors of power (who have the wherewithal to settle the education matter once and for all times) do not school in Nigerian public schools, hence their apathy and lack of concern.
It is public knowledge that two children of President Muhammadu Buhari – Zara and Yusuf – graduated from a London University a while ago. Recently, Ahamefula, the son of Governor Rochas Okorocha also graduated from a Manchester University.

Last November, Professor Abubakar Adamu, a former Vice Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano, who is presently the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC) publicly flaunted his son’s graduation from a British university, right in the thick of the ASUU strike.
It is very evident that the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) is now a shadow of its former self. Rather than seek to charge the government to account for its refusal to be concerned about our ailing universities, NANS has maintained a studied, embarrassing silence in the face of this debacle.


Officials of the association, having deviated from the objectives of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of students in the country (which is the sole reason for its existence), switched to singing the praises of politicians who can hardly be said to have contributed in any way towards the improvement of education in the country as well as awarding worthless plaques to them

Some days ago, the NANS PRO, one Bestman Okereafor was in the news commending President Buhari and requesting him to reshuffle his ministers. Not a single word about the ongoing strike was said by the PRO. This goes to buttress the present decayed state of the association.
Government has to introspectively examine its lacklustre approach to this education reform demand of ASUU. So far, it has given the matter short shrift and this neglect is deepening the decay of the education sector in the country. Government has to stop reneging on the pact it signed with ASUU – no excuse suffices for this inconsistency considering what is at stake.

This present state of affairs is unhealthy for any nation that seriously desires developmental progress. It is therefore obligatory for the government to give urgent attention to the education area (in line with ASUU’s plea) and renew its commitment to the total overhaul of the sector in the interest of the future of the country.


The campaign for educational reform should not be left to ASUU alone. Nigerian Students (being the worst affected by government indolence and refusal to do the needful) have to take a far more active interest in these matters. Rather than idle by and expect things to sort themselves out, students should be asking questions and prodding government to keep its word by implementing its part of that agreement – the revitalisation of tertiary learning in the country.

It is election season and students constitute a massive voting bloc. In preference to spending every spare moment on social media hurling invectives at one another across political divides, students can band up and trenchantly demand positive action from political parties and candidates, especially the ones in office, before considering them for electoral support.

It would be a fine thing also if NANS can rouse itself from its slumber and mobilise the students it marginally represents to form one united front which will pressure the government to yield to the rational enjoinment for educational reform.

ASUU, despite having undeniably genuine demands and crucial concerns has to eschew its evidently solipsistic posture and find a common, workable ground with the government, especially in these days of national fiscal privation.
The union should do well to consider the plight of students who are hardest hit by the disruption occasioned by this ongoing industrial action. It has succeeded to bring the federal government to the negotiation table and should endeavour to reach a workable understanding in the interest of all concerned parties.
––Odey wrote from Garki, Abuja

Source : https://www.collegegist.com.ng/p/570/ASUU-strike-ASUU-strike-and-the-enemy-within

I am a student of Ambrose Alli University and I am enjoying the strike u people should let us be

The amazing thing is children of people in position to make decision are not In these schools.


Check my profile if you want this.. Claim it now

Ok

Very objective. I hate it when students say, "Please I want to graduate early. ASUU should consider the future of the students and call of the strike"... then I'm like waaat?

ASUU are nothing but greedy sets of people.


Anytime they need extra cash and small illegal holiday, they result to strike.
They are major cancer of the education system.

Nice heading.... Ruobbish post

ovoko ASUU strike help me that year 2009 ..... some things happen for a reason

I agree

M

which kind useless govt be this? God I don't want this strike to pass December

ELgordo:
ovoko ASUU strike help me that year 2009 ..... some things happen for a reason

like say you know.... That year I for spillover had it been them no strike....one babe break my heart that year... Lol I lost concentration for class oh, sick sef.... Hahahahah but today all na story.

?

.

NANS does not recognise that their future is at stake. ASUU is fighting a just course but the students it is fighting for are still in slumber. By the time these students graduate their age will be outside the bracket of recruitment agencies. NANS should be formidable and make governance impossible until government grants ASUU request for the sake of their future

Honestly, I can't believe there's still NANS in Nigeria. Where are the SUG leaders in Nigeria's universities?

It's more certain that you guys will sit at home until after election, and yet you are keeping quiet. From the look of things, the strike won't be suspended in the next few weeks and that means many universities may not reopen until after elections have been lost and won.

Buhari's government is handicapped because those who used to mediate between him and labour (Senate President and Speaker) are now in the opposition. And honestly speaking I don't see any prominent national figure playing that role for him again. The only 'weight' left behind him is Tinubu who also happens to be the Chancellor of LAUTECH, but he is selfish and failed to drum sense into Aregbesola and Ajimobi's ears in the case of LAUTECH.


On a serious note, Nigerian students had better mobilise themselves to Aso Rock and demand to stay there like Yusuf Buhari, until their universities are re-opened.

Expecting that ASUU and FG will resolve their differences soonest is like expecting Liar Muhammed to stop lying.

ds is d wrong time for their strike. Election season! Haba na!

Buhari sef

ainas247:
The amazing thing is children of people in position to make decision are not In these schools.


Check my profile if you want this.. Claim it now

Including dat of sai baba....chief hypocrite

Our educational system need reform, our education system is trash, infact if this strike we last upto two yrs in other to reform d system once and for all, let it be

firstolalekan:
ASUU are nothing but greedy sets of people.


Anytime they need extra cash and small illegal holiday, they result to strike.
They are major cancer of the education system.

Very stupid comment . You better stay federal government is complete dull to sign what they cannot fulfil . You will enter agreement today and look the other way next day

And the useless NANS governing body was asking the national assembly members to apologise to the president for booing him during the last budget presentation amidst the lingering strike. It is obvious they have been bought

ASUU should know better that the caliber of people in power today are not concerned about educational development of the country.

They should suspend the strike, use their PVCs well in the upcoming election and vote out this incompetent government. You can't get Buhari's cabals invest in education because they don't understand the importance of education.

Osibanjo is a political professor and a stooge of the cabals. Imagine how he was dusted in a debate by Peter Obi who is not a professor.

#we are better by far#....Unilorin!..... Nothinglikeasuu!!!

Who should I beg now ASSU or FG ?
Mtcheew,. How wont my CGPA drop now.....

AAUJotham:
I am a student of Ambrose Alli University and I am enjoying the strike u people should let us be

Whereas your mates in neighboring university are planning on writing first semester exams isn't it ironic?

LibraKing:


Very stupid comment . You better stay federal government is complete dull to sign what they cannot fulfil . You will enter agreement today and look the other way next day

But the union body forced the government to enter such an agreement

firstolalekan:
ASUU are nothing but greedy sets of people.


Anytime they need extra cash and small illegal holiday, they result to strike.
They are major cancer of the education system.

you my brother is been very unreasonable, let's be honest here, can you work under the management of our government? These people are so wicked. Have you seen the state of our universities? They are in a terrible situation the main reason why most of our graduates leave university with zero idea of what to do with their life, tertiary education is meant to be practical oriented, most of our graduates can't even work in companies unless they undergo training, you now have to ask yourself the reason for your four or five years in the University.