ASUU strike is in students’ interest, for quality education —Ogunyemi

THE Academic Staff Union of Universities says its ongoing industrial action is in the interest of students and for the attainment of quality university education in the country.

Professor Abiodun Ogunyemi, the president of the union, who stated this in a conversation with Tribune Education urged students and parents (among whom are many ASUU members) and other people of goodwill to continue to show understanding and support for the cause of ASUU.

He said the strike is preventable, but that governments both at the federal and state levels are not giving any serious attention to the education sector.

He said this is why the federal government, in particular, has not shown reasonable commitment since the commencement of the ongoing strike in November to resolve the crisis.

While noting that ASUU only embarks on strike as the last option, Professor Ogunyemi said the neglect of public primary and secondary education by successive administrations had made both levels of education unattractive to the elite in the country.

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Ogunyemi said: “How many of them (elite) enroll their children in public primary schools again? Virtually nobody. It is only the poor, because there is almost nothing serious that is taking place there.

“Similar situation is what obtains at the secondary school level. And we did not just get to this sorry stage; we did gradually as a country. That is why we must not also close our eyes against what is happening at the tertiary education.

“Our political leaders don’t have the interest of the masses at heart as regards quality education. That is why rather than thinking of improving public schools, you see them establishing their own schools and sending their children abroad for studies.

“Our public universities lack basic infrastructure both in academic and hostel areas. The state-owned universities are worse. Aside that lecturers’ salaries are not much; they are not being paid in full and their conditions of service are equally poor.”

He said further: “Imagine, up to three members of a government constituted committee negotiating with ASUU at a time have their own private tertiary schools. What quality of contributions should be expected from such people?

“We should stop deceiving ourselves as a country. And that is why ASUU is taking it upon itself to ensure that government makes things work in public schools. Else, nobody will be interested in or proud to take their children to some of the big public universities we have as at today in the country.

“We shouldn’t allow the ruling class to take us backward at tertiary education like they did successfully at the lower level.”