SENATE
President, David Mark, has said persistent strikes by members of the
Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is killing the educational
system in Nigeria. This is as he said the Senate would initiate legislative action to prevent ASUU and other unions from embarking on protracted strike.
Mark, who made this known in Abuja, on Tuesday, frowned on the strike embarked upon by ASUU, saying that it had impacted negatively on the system.
The Senate president, who was represented by Senator Solomon Ganiyu at the first Conference of National and State Assembly Committees on Education, organised by the Senate Committee on Education, called on both ASUU and the Federal Government to shift grounds.
“The persistent strikes by ASUU have had tremendous impact on the quality of our education system. It is becoming necessary for us to initiate a legislative solution to the problem.
“I call on the Federal Government, members of ASUU and the 36 state committees to urgently come to an agreement, so that our students can return to their schools,” he said.
Mark noted that the nation needed to evolve a policy of keeping children in school, especially the girl-child, to minimise most of the societal problems such as militancy, terrorism, insurgency, prostitution and ignorance.
“Attention should be placed on timeliness for completion of academic programmes which, at the moment, are usually delayed by strikes,” he said.
The minister overseeing Education ministry, Mr Nyesom Wike, in his remark on the occasion, disclosed that the Federal Government, through the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), had disbursed a total of N142 billion to states in the last three years.
He said the fund was to support the provision of required infrastructure and materials, as well as develop capacity in basic education institutions across the country.
Chairman, Senate Committee on Education, Senator Uche Chukwumerije, who also bemoaned the decline in the quality of education in the country, said urgent steps must be taken to rescue the sector from the morass.
He said the conference, with a theme: “Transforming Nigeria’s Education Sector: The Legislative Agenda,” was apt and would provide opportunity for both national and state lawmakers to brainstorm on how to move the education sector forward.
It’ll improve education —ASUU
ASUU president, Dr Nasir Fagge, on Tuesday, said the current strike by lecturers of public universities in the country was a sacrifice for better things to come.
Fagge told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that unless the deficits in the education sector, especially the university system, were addressed once and for all, there would be no development.
According to Fagge, it was regrettable that the strike was protracted, adding that the decision of ASUU to remain adamant until its demands were fully met could seem uncomfortable and worrisome.
“I sincerely want to call on all concerned, especially students and parents, to bear with us, as well as join hands with us in the struggle to right the wrongs in our education sector once and for all, for the good of us all and that of the country.
“I know it is quite a difficult time for us, but I also want to state that what we are doing is for our own good, as well as ensure that strikes become rare as a weapon to get things done in our system,” he said.
Fagge, however, lauded the supervising education minister, Wike, for finding time to meet with the executive committee of ASUU and the committee of vice chancellors and other stakeholders for their concern.
Varsities’ll soon be reopened —NUC boss
Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius Okojie, has said the ongoing strike by ASUU will soon be called off.
He said the Federal Government had made steady progress to resolve the crisis.
Okojie, speaking at an interactive session with newsmen in Abuja, on Tuesday, also lashed out at members of ASUU calling for his sack, saying it was unfair, going by his commitment to the resolution of the impasse and improvement of university education in the country.
He reiterated that government was in talks with the leadership of ASUU, contrary to what members of the public were made to believe that there was breakdown in discussion.
On those calling for his removal, the NUC boss said he had discharged his duty as a regulator to the best of his ability, giving the difficult terrain he had to work with.
Police abort attempted protest at UNILAG
An attempted protest by students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) was aborted by men of the Nigeria Police on Monday.
According to reports, armed policemen blocked all entrances leading into the Akoka campus to prevent the said protest.
Heavily armed policemen in vans numbering about 10 were seen at the school gate on Tuesday.
The students, Nigerian Tribune gathered, organised the foiled protest to express their agitation over ASUU strike, now in its third month, as well as a call for the return of Student Union Government (SUG) in the institution.
Reports gathered also indicated that students of Lagos State University (LASU) also attempted to join UNILAG students in the protest.
Attempts to speak with the UNILAG information officer, Mr Wale Olasunmade, on the development failed.
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