By Dada Ahmed.
Photo: Channels Television.
As the strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) which began in February this year unabated, university students and other segments of the society in Lokoja, Kogi State, have again called on all parties in the strike to reach a truce.
Those who spoke with our Correspondent in the area on Thursday, described the incessant strike, especially in the nation’s higher education as inimical to the future and quality of educatuon as well as against the interest of the students.
A don in one of the universities in Ondo state, who does not want his name printed, told our correspondent that “my thinking is that we should just accept an enhanced pay package and go and rest.
“They will not cooperate. We should just consider the students and resume, I think,”he pleaded with his colleagues,” he said.
The don, who is an associate professor of english, however, expressed dismay over the way public universities were being funded in the country, compared to others of the economy.
Some of the students on force leave with their parents and relations in Lokoja described ASUU strike as one too many, adding that the development had not meant well for their educational pursuit.
A student of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Alli Mohammed, said ASUU strike was the least challenge he expected in the course of his educational pursuit but regretted that the development had become his biggest challenge.
“As a science incline student, my course involves practicals. Now with the strike spanning many months, the development is affecting my learning negatively.
“I am pleading with ASUU and the federal government to reach an agreement on the issue and let us resume our studies,” he also urged.
A parent, Mal. Adamu Mohammed, who said that three of his children are schooling in the university in the country said,” It is sad seeing children who are supposed to spend three or five years to obtain degree now spending more than the period because of frequent strike in university.
“We, the parents, are tired of seeing our undergraduate children sitting idle at home, and some even indulge in one crime or the other, not because they have defiency in their studies but simply because of ASUU strike.
“While I plead with the lecturers to consider the plight of the students and resume work, governnent also need to go back to the drawing board to fulfill its side of the agreements it reached with the lecturers.
“The parties should know that when two elephants fight, the grass is always at the receiving end and in this case, the students,” he said.
Our Correspondent who visited the Federal University, Lokoja, FUL, Adankolo campus on Friday,noted that the usual booming economic activities around the the university looked dull as operators of various business outfits, ranging from restaurants to business centres complained of low patronage, the development they attributed largely to the strike.
Many of the operators,who also spoke on the strike in separate interview with The Reporters, pleaded with the stakeholders in the strike to consider the educational and economic implications of the strike and call it off, adding that governnent should also fulfill its side of the agreements.
Meanwhile,the committee set up by the Federal Government to re-negotiate the 2009 agreements with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other university-based unions has submitted its interim report to the Ministry of Education.
According to the Nation, the Labour and Employment Minister Chris Ngige, who disclosed this said the Education Ministry had commenced work on the report.
