The Coalition for Education and Justice (CEJ) has commended the refusal of Prince Abubakar Audu University Ayingba, Kogi State, to partake in the ongoing Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike, noting that it is another proof of Governor Yahaya Bello’s incredible reforms in the educational sector.
The group said since he assumed office in 2016, Governor Bello has done tremendously well in education, improving the condition of service in tertiary institutions, such as the total financial autonomy at PAAU as regards its internally generated revenue.
Speaking at a press conference on Friday in Abuja, Executive Director, Dr Linus Obetta, said the institution’s refusal to join their colleagues is in appreciation of the notable attention received from the state government for seamless and uninterrupted academic programmes.
Due to this stable calendar facilitated by Governor Bello, Dr Obetta added that graduates of the university are better equipped to contribute to sustainable growth and development in the country.
He, therefore, charged other state governors and indeed the Federal Government to emulate the governor’s working template in the educational sector to avoid persistent industrial action which has grounded academic activities in the nation.
While applauding the university authorities for resisting the pressure of ASUU, the Coalition for Education and Justice urged Governor Bello to sustain these sterling strides and continue to show support for the institution.
The statement read: “The one-month strike action recently embarked by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in this critical point of our drive for educational excellence is detrimental to attaining set goals and a disruption of the academic calendar in tertiary institutions across the country.
“While we believe ASUU acted within their constitutional mandate, the more significant implication of their strike action is that it would increase the burden already experienced in our educational sector.
“In all our numerous advocacies as a group, we have emphasized the need for the leadership of ASUU to devise other means of negotiating for better work conditions in tertiary institutions across the country. The constant use of strike action by ASUU defeats logic so much that we are tempted to believe more than meets the eyes in the recent strike action.
“Our emphasis on roundtable talks is hinged on the consequences that are associated with strike actions that leave students frustrated and idle, which in turn culminates an increase in social vices in the country.
“It is our considered opinion that the leadership of ASUU is failing to realize that there is so much catching up to make in our educational sector, and any attempt at further disrupting the academic calendar through strike actions can be viewed as counterproductive.
“On this premise, we wish to commend the authorities of the Prince Abubakar Audu University in Kogi State for its refusal to join the one-month warning strike embarked on by ASUU. This is a welcome development that reinforces the stance of the visitor of the university, Governor Yahaya Bello.
“We have it on good authority that the action of the authorities of Prince Abubakar Audu University is hinged on the notable condition of service in the university, amongst which is the total financial autonomy it enjoys as regards its internally generated revenue. This is indeed noteworthy of the Governor of Kogi State. He has done tremendously well in the educational sector in the state since he assumed leadership in 2016.
“The Coalition for Education and Justice wishes to put it on record that Prince Abubakar Audu University is the only public institution in the country that is not a part of the one-month warning strike action embarked by ASUU.
“We gathered from reliable sources that the refusal of the university to join the strike action is in appreciation of the notable attention it has received from the Kogi state government in support for the seamless and uninterrupted academic programmes in the university. “