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By Gabriel Dike, Bianca Emefu-Iboma, Chijioke Agwu (Abakaliki) and Lateef Dada (Osogbo)
The signs are obvious and ominous. Hell is about to be let loose in Nigeria’s public universities one more time. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is up in arms for another round of strike.
All has not been well between the Federal Government and ASUU in the last one year. ASUU has mandated its zones to sensitise Nigerians about the issues in contention.
While the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, is seemingly silent, his counterpart, Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, chose to engage ASUU in a war of words. He claimed last week that government met ASUU’s demands with the release of N52 billion, made up of N22 billion for earned academic allowances and N30 billion revitalization funds for public universities.
It was gathered that the ASUU National Executive Council (NEC) would meet to access the situation from the zones. The meeting would also strategise on how to mobilize members and Nigerians for the impending strike.
The NEC may direct the about 97 branches to conduct a referendum (voting) on the proposed strike. Decision would be taken after another NEC meeting.
A zonal coordinator told The Education Report that many thought with the release of N52billion by government, the union would back down, “no it is not all about money or earned academic allowances. It is more than that.
“Our main reason for the strike is the non-conclusion of the 2009 FG/ASUU agreement. Yes, the former chairman of the negotiation committee stalled the process.
“The new chairman of the committee, Prof Munzali Jibril and his team concluded negotiation with ASUU in May 2021. Both agreed to take the document to their principals for consultations after which the new agreement will be signed. But government has kept the document in a cooler.
“Many thought ASUU intended to embark on strike because of money. No, the main reason will be government delay in concluding and signing of a new agreement. ASUU is ready to sign the agreement. Once our members through the branches give NEC the mandate for strike, the leadership will comply immediately. That is where we are heading to.”
ASUU Coordinator, Owerri Zone, Dr Uzo Onyebinama, said: “As we speak, government is still in arrears of major components of the 2009 FG/ASUU agreement that includes funding for the revitalisation of the publication universities, earned academic allowances and the renegotiation of the 2009 FG/ASUU agreement.
“The situation has been compounded by the introduction of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) and the attendant consequences of the mutilated salaries, promotion arrears and the non-resolution of the more favoured-University Transparency and Accountability Solution.
“We once again alert Nigerians that unless government strives to sincerely resolve these issues, there will be no rest for us all. There will be no more Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) and Memorandums of Action (MoA).
“When the macabre dance begins, there will be no stopping it until everything is fully implemented. The insincerity of the Federal Government is not just beyond understanding, it is beyond tolerance.”
Mrs Oluronke Jegede, stated: “Since the news of the impending strike, my daughter and I have been apprehensive. We are praying Federal Government will be able to avert the strike. It will certainly disrupt academic activities on campuses but I don’t know for how long. The last ASUU strike wasn’t a pleasant one.”
A year three student on holiday in Lagos, Rasheed Olakunle, said the industrial action would compound students’ woes and lead to extra academic session if not handled properly by both parties: “ASUU and government should engage in dialogue to resolve the grey areas. Another strike by ASUU will definitely affect students’ academic calendar.”
In Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, worried parents and students appealed to the Federal Government to resolve issues with ASUU. Elechi Mbam is a final year student of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki. He is also former Director of Transport, Students Union Government (SUG).
He said: “We don’t want another strike now. It will surely affect our graduation, which is already by the corner. Government should settle with ASUU to advert the impending strike.”
Another final student, Kenneth Obinna, of the same department berated Federal Government for its inability to find lasting solution to the intermittent ASUU strike: “This ASUU strike has become a permanent characteristic of Nigeria’s tertiary education.
“Why they have not resolved it is because their children are all schooling outside the country. It is poor families that send their children to public universities in Nigeria. So the strike does not affect their children.
“That is the reason they will never resolve the issue of strike in our universities. However, I appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to resolve the matter because students will protest if ASUU embarks on another strike.’’
Mr Ejiofor Igwe, a civil servant said another strike might increase the incidences of crime during the Yuletide. He urged government to negotiate with ASUU to discourage them from embarking on the strike for the interest of peace and security in the country.
Mr Celestine Ugbor, a businessman in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, said: “ASUU may have a good case for considering another strike. But they should consider the students and the parents. Every time, they are pushing for one payment or the other, without realizing that their actions are already affecting quality of learning in our tertiary institutions. My position is that they should stop prioritizing their personal interests against the growth of the nation’s educational sector.”
A parent in Osogbo, Osun State, Elder Yinka Salaam, said: “The strike will disrupt the academic calendar, cause lack of concentration among students and invariably affects the standard of education.
“Universities often result to crash lectures and ill-prepared-for examinations to make up for the lost time. This partly contributes to the poor standard of education leading to Nigeria’s graduates not being unable to compete favourably with their peers across the world.
“While government should strive to fulfil its promises to the lecturers in the ivory towers, the lecturers should rather learn to look beyond incessant industrial actions. Use of other pressure tools, industrial courts, use of courts and the National Assembly, lobbying and advocacy amongst others should be exploited.”
Another parent, Taofiq Kehinde Olayoonu: “The strike will have untold implications on the students. Keeping students at home can lead to idleness. The strike will also have financial implications because parents have to budget money over the amount they are supposed to spend on their children if they run hitch-free academic sessions.”
A student of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife, Osun State, Hafso Isiaq, said: “We all know students are always the victims whenever ASUU and FG are at loggerheads. But ASUU should be considerate. Anytime they threaten to strike, that’s another wasting of time on the part of we students.
“Whereas the union and FG would eventually reach an agreement but can they reverse the years they have made the students waste? I bet they can’t. We are hoping they will reach a reasonable compromise because we cannot afford to waste another year.”
Another OAU student, Ojetola Olawale: “No student is prepared for any strike now. We are all just getting back on our feet from the damages the last industrial action of ASUU caused us then. I am supposed to graduate this year but because of the strike, the union embarked on then, a year has automatically been added to my programme in school. The strike will prevent some of us who are in our late 20s from going for NYSC because of age that has caught up with us.’’
Mrs Chinyere Onyekwelu, is a parent: “I know a lot of parents are in agreement with my thoughts. Those who can afford education outside the country have started making moves towards it. While those who cannot take their children to private university are watching as event unfolds. Leaving your children to attend public institution is a waste of precious time.
“Some parents who have provided the basic needs of their wards on campus will go through the stress of re-providing, as most students have consumed their resources.
“The perishable ones will perish as a result of academic extension. Failure to re-provide on the part of the parents will result in the students suffering during the remaining period of the semester should the strike be called off.”
Mr Samuel Abiodun appealed to government to save the future of the children: “Idleness is the devil workshop. I think it is high time the government makes education the top priority. They must understand that for the students to have a great future, we need to educate our youths; not just educating them but giving them quality education they can get.
“Another strike is not good for the education system. Since the return to democratic rule in 1999, ASUU has embarked on nationwide strike that I cannot count during which students lost a cumulative period of almost four years of the academic calendar.”
Favour Gurah, student, University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), said students usually perform poorly in examinations after returning from a prolonged strike: “Most students don’t read during strike. Others tend to forget key points from lectures as a result of the long wait between lectures and examinations.
“The rich who can afford private varsities send their children there, where the academic calendar is unaffected. The poor who can’t afford it spend more years on campus as a result of strike. It also increases immorality and crime. Pregnancy rate as well as abortion among female students tend to increase significantly.’’
A 100-level English Language student, University of Lagos (UNILAG), Israel Chukwuemeka said: “I cannot really tell whether or not I am prepared for the strike because it is a norm in the public universities. ASUU and government face-off has been on for decades and the demands remained unresolved.
“The consequences will result in delay of academic activities and disruption of the calendar. There will be extra year(s) for students as it has been the case before.
“The loss of interest in academic activities could, however, be a blessing in disguise as some students will take advantage of the situation and learn skills to make them self-reliant.”
The clock is ticking fast. Time will tell if the Federal Government and ASUU will embrace dialogue to avert the impending strike.
