Ismaeel Uthman
THE Joint Campus Committee of the National Association of Nigerian Students in the State of Osun has berated the Federal Government over the prolonged industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) which has paralysed academic activities on public varsities across the country for over two months.
According to the student body, it is sardonic, appalling and worrisome that Nigeria government had taken unquantifiable solace in shattering, bastardising and degrading her educational system.
In a press statement signed by the JCC Chairman, General Secretary and the Public Relations Officer, Comrade Afeez Oyewole, Abeebulah Salaudeen and Sulaimon Adekanmi respectively, the students said the FG’s lackadaisical attitudes towards the ASUU strike can be deduced from the presidential ambition of the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba.
According to the students, it speaks volume that Nwajiuba could obtain the APC’s N100m nomination form in the face of the ASUU strike and poor education system.
The students said the effect of the strike has been devastating to “university education” by watering down the quality of education in Nigeria, thereby compounding the problem of students’ poor academic performance, unnecessary academic period elongation.
The statement reads, “It is no more news that the ongoing ASUU strike had reached 11 weeks, where no concrete reasonable plan has been put in place by the government on a proper way of putting an end to the strike, which speaks volume on how less important education is to the present day government.
“Any country that is ready to compete in terms of general development with other countries of the world must put every mechanism in place to ensure citizens are provided with qualitative and sound education, which would, in turn, have a positive impact on the growth and development of such nation.
“It is sardonic, appalling, regrettably and worrisome that Nigerian government had taken unquantifiable solace in shattering, bastardising and degrading her educational system.
“This can be deduced from how the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, purchased APC presidential form worth a N100m while the student community is still experiencing a retrogressive strike. This can be described as ‘’ignoble and unpatriotic act.
“As student leaders, we understand perfectly that leadership is taking responsibility, not making excuses. A working federal government would never have any excuse for incessant ASUU strike, as the government is also aware that the said strike does more harm than good to Nigeria’s education sector”.
The students called on the Federal Government to call for another negotiation with ASUU in a bid to put an end to the ongoing inglorious strike.
