The group said that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration was no longer concerned about the state of education.
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Southwest Zone D, on Thursday urged the federal government to declare state of emergency on education, noting that the educational system in Nigeria was collapsing.
The group said that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration was no longer concerned about the state of education.
NANS asserted that the over five months’ old strike which had affected all institutions and research institutes had done nothing but bad to educational system in Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Thursday in Ibadan by NANS Southwest Coordinator, Adegboye Emmanuel Olatunji, the students’ body threatened to bring the country to a standstill if the educational system collapse was not addressed immediately.
It said, “On Monday, March 7, we took it upon ourselves as leadership of National Association of Nigeria Students Southwest ably led by Comrade Adegboye Emmanuel Olatunji to reach out to various colleges under different Research Institutes in Nigeria who have been on strike for over five months now.
"The government of the day seems to turn deaf hear to the demands of the RESEARCH INSTITUTES in Nigeria. The over five months’ old strike which has affected all institutions under the research institute has done nothing but bad to educational system in Nigeria. Students in all this institution are exposed to skeletal learning and studying.
"This attitude of the government has shown that the government does not believe in the ideology that our country can attain technological development and it is also paying lip service to research and technological development.
"This conference is geared towards getting the Federal government to act positively on the demands of research institutes. As a responsive leadership, we are prepared to tackle any menace that could want to stand on our way to get affordable and quality education in this country. We can no longer allow this government to determine our fututre for us.
"Federal government seems not to be in the know that research institutes in Nigeria were on strike. Educational system in Nigeria has collapsed and as such the Federal government should as a matter of urgency declare a state of emergency on education.
"No country can develop without research work and one of the major aims of education is training. Federal Government should implement the agreement signed with RESEARCH Institutes in the country.
"We were reliably informed of the exclusion of all colleges under research institute and other special colleges from Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), which they ought to have prioritised as they are specialised institutions.
"We need to change the educational system in this country and we need to help this country from falling. It is obvious that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is no longer concerned on education.
"We shall bring the country to a standstill if the educational system collapse is not addressed immediately.”