Overtime, the FG has shown by their actions and inactions, that education is not an utmost priority, hence, their dilly-dallying attitude towards the prolonged strike.
The ASUU Strike actions has lived rent-free in Nigeria for 34 years. And even till now, we still cannot tell if it would ever be evicted from our midst. What has been the students’ fate even since this industrial struggle began in 1988, if not wasted time and resources, shattered dreams, frustration, drop out, suicide.....e.t.c.?
A government that spends below 10 Percent of the Nation’s GDP on education, should not expect quality results at the end of the day. And when the quality of the education sector is compromised, the future of the Nation is very much at stake. Reason been that, when a child is at a tender stage, he is expected to be adequately nurtured in the wisdom(education) of his country, so that when he is fully grown up, he would begin to apply everything he has learnt for the service of his Nation. But should the education of that young citizen be unfounded and lacking of tangible substance, his country reaps exactly what was sown. As if the mayhems occasioned by poor funding of education was not enough, the government again, has failed Nigerian Students in the area of maintaining cordial relations with ASUU and fulfilling their promises. Thereby bringing the whole system into a stampede.
To make situation worse, the manner at which the FG is going about negotiations with ASUU kills every atom of hope. If the Minister of Education is not walking out of Students, tune in channels TV, his counterpart is there blaming it all on ASUU. Most frustratingly, they pay no respect to the ticking clock even as they make mockery of the lingering strike. At the detriment of who? We the STUDENTS!
ASUU Strike is responsible for over 60 percent of dropout cases in our Universities. Those who held fast to their studies and did not quit, are yet to heal from the bruises they sustained after their passion towards their chosen careers were dashed into utter pieces on the alter of ASUU Strike. The Nigerian Government is indeed hardworking but only when constructing railway to a foreign Land. How about resolving crucial National issues that is directly linked with the future of our dear Country? Overtime, the FG has shown by their actions and inactions, that education is not an utmost priority, hence, their dilly-dallying attitude towards the prolonged strike.
As sophisticated as educational processes are in Europe, the United States, and even in some parts of Asia, the students of those Continents still have their morale boosted by their governments with series of scholarship programs, work-study schemes, grants and so on. Only a pandemic can keep them away from their classes. One does not need a soothsayer to tell what good fortune awaits such Countries.
Dear Federal Government, we are “Students”. We should be in our classes “studying” and not anywhere else. We want to return to where we belong; our lecture halls, hostels, libraries,....e.t.c. It would be to the benefit of Nigeria if this harmless request of ours is granted and the Monster called ASUU Strike is given a permanent eviction letter from our sacred midst.
Comrade Oredia Destiny
UNIBEN SUG Secretary General