When will the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) end their strike? This is the question agitating the minds of students and their parents.Tired of staying at home, the students are appealing to their teachers to return to work, ADEGUNLE OLUGBAMILA, SEBIOTIMO BUSOLA and LAWAL ZAINAB report
When will university and polytechnic students resume for the 2018/19 academic session?
It is almost two and a half months that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) went on strike over the non-implementation of the Memorandum of Action (MoA) it signed with the Federal Government.
Also, polytechnic teachers under the umbrella of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) are on an indefinite strike over the government’s failure to implement the 2009 and 2017 agreements reached with them.
Parents and students are counting their losses and asking the warring parties to hold out the olive branch to end the imbroglio.
Last Monday, there were speculations that the ASUU strike could be suspended following certain agreements the Federal Government reached with the varsity teachers.
Following the announcement, many Nigerians were optimistic of an end to the strike in a matter of days. Shockingly, by the weekend, ASUU stuck to its gun, saying that after consultations, members insisted that the new government’s offer was ‘fluid and far from expectations’.
The union vowed not to participate in the general election next month to be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
A bulletin released at the weekend tagged ‘Bulletin 8’ and signed by ASUU National President, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, directed members to await further instructions on the strike.
Ogunyemi, however, said members were free to work with INEC as individuals, but not under the umbrella of ASUU.
The bulletin reads: “Though some progress has been made with respect to discussion with government agents (the Minister of Labour and Employment as well as Minister of Education), at the moment, the proposal from government towards resolving the demand of ASUU as contained in 2017 MoA and Strike Bulletin 1 is still too fluid and far from expectations.
‘’On Monday, ASUU gave certain conditions for resolving the strike, one of which was the payment of N220 billion in each quarter and over a period of five quarters.
‘’Why can’t the government give us one tranche of the five outstanding tranches for revitalisation? Why can’t the government pay the sum of N220 billion in each quarter and spread it over a period of five quarters? Remember that the issue of the Earned Academic Allowance is there,” Ogunyemi said.
“We are asking for a collaboration and confirmation of payment when it is done because evidence of payment is necessary. Government has been failing in its promises, and so, we are calling for a timeline as regards payment. What we even have so far is a verbal statement as we are yet to see evidence of payment.”
National President of ASUP Comrade Usman Dutse, told our reporter on Tuesday that a meeting earlier scheduled for last Wednesday between the leadership of the union and government could not hold, as some key representatives from the Federal Ministry of Education failed to show up, so the strike continues.
Students speak out
However, amid the impasse, students who are victims of the face-off, as well as their parents, are appealing to teachers and the government to seek urgent solutions.
Miss Adekale Oreoluwa, a Law student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), lamented that the strike had made her idle.
“The major challenge is basically that I’m unable to do anything during this period.
“I wanted to work, but they (employer) needed a time frame like: will I be able to work for two or three months? I couldn’t even reply because I really did not know how long the strike would last. And no one was willing to employ me because they needed a specific time range.
“I can’t even travel. What if I go and the strike is called off immediately? All I do is eat, sleep and eat again.
“Secondly, I’m in my 500-Level and at this stage, we get to write our final exams before everyone because of the preparation for Law School. The process of Law School takes a while. That’s why we always get about three months to prepare for the posting and finishing up of our projects. The problem here is, if the strike isn’t called off latest by February, how will we be able to join our mates, especially those in private universities, in law school?’’
Aduragbemi Olumodeji, a 100-Level Computer Science student of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, said: “I’m annoyed more with the government than with ASUU.’’
Aduragbemi continued: “This government has a very poor vision for the education sector. If a government can be so non-chalant towards one of the most important sectors, I don’t know where we are going.
“Our so called leaders are not even moved, perhaps, because their children are hardly involved. The feeding allowance of most of them in their exalted positions alone is higher than the take-home pay of most people. Yet, they find it difficult to pay lecturers their dues. The best solution I think is to get a literate leader and surround him with people of like minds.”
Taiwo Modulate wondered why the only word synonymous with strike in Nigeria is education.
“Why is it that when the word ‘strike’ pops up, what only comes to mind is the education sector? The final year Sociology student of Lagos State University asked rhetorically.
“This phenomenon has rather become an annual tradition. Yet, there seems to be no lasting solution in sight. To me, I feel both the Federal Government and ASUU really don’t know the pain this strike is having on the average youth.
“Year in, year out, the nation complains about the quality of graduates that are being produced. But the truth is that this will continue for much longer time because many youths now focus their attention on making fast wealth through internet fraud and ritual killing than on their studies.”
Oluwanisola Sauban, who studies Mass Communication at the University of Benin (UNIBEN), blamed her colleagues for keeping calm for too long, despite being victims of the government/ASUU face off.
“We (students) are used to it,” she said.
“What we’re not used to yet is the effect it has on our youths. For UNIBEN students, the strike started during the holidays. The holidays are over and we’re still at home,” said the final year undergraduate.
She added: “We have been home for almost two months. Students are idle, crime rate is on the rise, and we don’t know whether to get certain skills because we can’t get comfortable at home. That’s how bad it gets.
“I think boycotting the general elections might work because I think the Federal Government is counting on this continued strike to ensure that they’re voted back into power.”
Julius Goodness, an undergraduate of UNILAG, is seeking proscription of ASUU.The final year English student’s argument is premised on what she called the ‘selfishness of ASUU.’
“For me, I honestly feel ASUU should be abolished because the union is selfish,” Goodness said, adding: “What makes me angry about the issue is that I’m through with my studies, but because of the strike, I can’t graduate. To complicate matters, some of these so called ASUU people have their children in private universities or abroad and less worried about us. It is their selfish interest they are after.”
Abosede Onifade of the Department of Sociology, Lagos State University (LASU) blamed the Federal Government for failing ASUU demands, yet could earmark N50 billion to build cattle ranches nationwide.
“I am angry that the Federal Government can owe able-bodied men and women over N1 trillion. Yet, it is releasing over N50billion to build cattle ranches while the leaders of tomorrow are wallowing in decadence. I am angry that most children of these people in power are in none of the universities affected by the strike. I am angry that the strike is promoting decadence, increase in crime rates, and prostitution which lead to unwanted pregnancy and population disaster.
“My poor parents have been paying N70,000 annually for four years for accommodation (most students in LASU live off campus), and they never bargained for more than that with the landlord. Now, I am very sad that the inconsiderate landlord is already requesting that I pay him extra or leave, when I am not even in the hostel,” she said.
Miss Masha Omotunde, a 100-Level Law student of University of Ibadan, initially felt a tinge of relief, when the strike started. Now she’s bored and desirous of joining her colleagues.
‘’The strike for me started well because I was really craving for a break; but right now, it seems longer and I can imagine the workload when we eventually resume. I think that it is unfair on the schools that have had to put their activities on hold all because of the insensitivity of our rulers and failure to consider education as a sector that ought to be most prioritised.”
Corroborating Omotunde is Oluwatobi Efunkoya of the Department of Economics, UNILAG.
‘’The basic thing about the strike is that it’s the students that will suffer it most. We would be rushed to hasten the academic calendar, which will hinder full preparation for the semester,” said the final year student.
“Secondly, we don’t know when precisely the strike would be called off. So, we don’t know if we could venture into holiday jobs or vocations to acquire a particular skill. The Federal Government should, please, pay up the debt they owe the university staff.’’
Nnaji Moses, an ND2 Mass Communication undegratduate of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), blamed the government rather than the teachers.
“I won’t even blame the lecturers because the Federal Government has promised them since 2009 to address their issues to no avail.
‘’So, my suggestion is that both the government and ASUU should come to a consensus. Students have been at home in the last two months. Imagine a course that you are supposed to do for four years and you end up doing it for five years,” he said.
Parents react
A parent, who resides in Surulere area of Lagos, Mr Mustapha Tukur, blamed successive administrations for not walking their talk on the agreement they signed with ASUU.
“The ongoing ASUU strike is as a result of the inability of the past governments to meet the demands of the union that was making efforts to rescue the public university system from total collapse,” Mustapha began.
He added: “The government had, most times, failed to meet with some of the agreements, particularly, those that border on funding and facilities upgrade. To this end, the union had considered the government’s inability to fulfil the critical part of their demand, especially improved funding and facilities as a sign of unseriousness.’’
A fashion designer and resident of Onipanu, Lagos, Mrs Onifade Kehinde, cannot wait to see her daughterAbosede, a final year student of Sociology at Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, Lagos, decked in NYSC uniform.
“I can’t wait to see my child in khaki,” Onifade said.
“This ASUU strike has really slowed down my baby (daughter). I can’t wait for her convocation. She’s a very bright child, coming out with a first class, but now she’s just sitting at home. Let’s not forget that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. The solution is for the government to give in to ASUU’s demands because these children, who are our future, are the ones paying hardest for the strike”
For Mr Lateef Akani, a resident of Iyana Iba, Lagos, it’s more of a bigger cross to parents when their children who are supposed to be studying in schools, are home.
“It is a burden to the parents when students who are supposed to be in school are at home eating and sleeping,” said Akani, a Civil Servant.
“They eat a lot and demand all sorts of things from us parents and we must provide.
‘’They will tell you they want to go out to see their friends, and need transport fare. I appeal to the Federal Government to listen to the demand of ASUU, so our children can resume,’’ he added.
Mr Sunday Aimiuwu, who lives in Alagbado, has a contrary opinion.
Aimiuwu, a civil servant, is pointing fingers at ASUU for not giving the government the benefit of the doubt, despite the latter’s commitment last week.
‘’In spite of the Federal Government’s commitment (last week) and evidence by the Ministry of Finance, lecturers refused to resumed duties, thereby crippling academic activities in public universities. Although ASUU claimed that the Federal Government owned public universities N1.1 trillion for infrastructural decay, the truth is that it is an inherited problem from past administrations.
“It is my opinion the Federal Government should be given the benefit of doubt to gradually resolve the issues at hand. We appeal for understanding and cooperation of ASUU to resume lectures if for anything, our children and the school system.’’
Fed Govt’s offer
Minister of Labour and Employment Dr Chris Ngige said the government has approved N35.4 billion for the union. The government, he added, also voted N15,389,940,335.71 to accommodate payment of shortfall in institutions that are Presidential Initiative of Continuous Audit (PICA) varied.
He said the government also approved the payment of N20 billion for the payment of outstanding arrears of the 2009 and 2012 Earned Academic Allowances to the already verified university system. Ngige said the sum was being worked out and would be released to ASUU when the process was completed.
Aside government’s resolve to grant the union a permanent licence to operate National University Pension Fund Administrator Company (NUPENCO), the government also resolved to release an undisclosed amount from the N220 billion yearly revitalisation fund for universities, an agreement ASUU reached with the immediate past government.