In what looks like an unending disagreement between the Federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), thereby grounding academic activities across Universities in the country, students and parents have continued to lament this development.
Tribune Online reports that since the declaration by the Lecturers of Nigerian Universities in February to commence a four-week warning strike, it is the third time the union will announce a warning strike consecutively, as they are yet to reach a common ground with the federal government after several meetings, hence, leaving the students and even their parents/ guardians in a no-hope situation, it was learnt.
The most recent warning strike announced by the ASUU which is currently ongoing will last for 12 weeks, and probably declare another warning strike or indefinite after it elapsed, if their demands are not met.
When Nigerian Tribune feel the pulse of Students and Parents in Kaduna over the lingering ASUU strike, it was a tale of dismay and hope.
A 300L student of Nasarawa State University (NSUK), Mercy Aguda said she feel pained and devastated upon hearing about the recent 12 weeks warning strike to be embarked upon, but hope it will come to an end in no time.
She said, “Seriously, it’s painful because, you know having to count the days I’m going to graduate, and then adding months;Â it’s actually painful but, there is nothing that can be done to it, as students we can’t just go out and start protesting, it can be bloody, just as the situation of the country right now, so I think the best thing is just to patiently wait and pray for God to take control.
“I have skills that I have learnt, so my plan is just to put it into use because I can’t just sit down and be waiting for the school to call-off strike and go back to school, so life goes on, my plan is just to continue my skills, business and keep moving because I can’t just wait for school, I don’t know when it will end, I don’t even know when I will graduate.”
Daniel Anthony Jacob, a 100L student of the University of Lokoja said the declaration of the recent warning strike by ASUU came to him with surprise neither, did he feel too bad.
According to him, “Presently, I am not feeling bad, because I expected it, why because, when I heard our Minister of Education buying the form for presidency, I know that if your father can reject you, who want to help you, so, we just know that someone that is fighting for us, his attention is now diverted, I just know that there is no hope, our education sector is bad.”
Anthony who is a sales boy in a shop where Electronics are sold said, his plan is to work harder to get money and not sit idle, as he is not from a well-to-do family.
Similarly, a Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) student at the Kaduna State University (KASU), Mrs Amaka, expressed dissatisfaction over the issue, saying, “To be honest, it is not palatable when I heard that news. I was so sad because by now we are supposed to be rounding up with our last semester exams.”
“For now, I decided to be helping my husband with his business, at least to keep myself busy not to be idle, from time to time when I have the time, I will open my book and glance through it, but it is better they stop it and go back to school so that we can finish this programme,” she said.
In their own reactions, parents have also expressed sadness over the continued FG/ASUU face-off, therefore, pleaded with them to come to a lasting agreement, in other to help secure the future of the students.
Mr Abdullateef Tomori, whose daughter is reading Law at Ahmadu Bello University, according to him, “I was not happy at all because I don’t know why the govt is dragging the issue. They have signed an agreement with these people, and that you are going to abide by the agreement, which you didn’t follow, so I can’t blame the lecturers, they are fighting for thier rights, so the only thing is government should take action quickly so that these children can go back to school.
“It is even affecting them, they are just at home doing nothing, govt should hasten up and do the needful and allow these lecturers to go back to the class.”
“ASUU should calm down, they should sit down with the govt, they should have a discussion because they cannot fulfil all their promises, but if they can fulfil part of it, just agree with them (govt) because everybody knows the situation in the country now, there is no money, govt is passing through a lot of things, so they should just agree with them, anything they offer them, they should just take it like that.”
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