The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) insists on continuing its strike action in spite of government’s planned reopening of schools post #COVID19Nigeria; lockdown.
The body said that universities will remain closed until all its demands are met. It also advised the Federal Government to hold off announcements on schools resumption until then.
It threatened that it will roll out its next agenda if the Federal Government does not meet with them to negotiate the 2009 agreement signed by both parties.
Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, National President of ASUU gave the update during a town hall meeting today, at the African Hall, University of Ilorin. He however, refused to unveil the planned agenda.
According to him, “it is better we wait. When we get to the bridge, we will cross it. I can’t open our strategy, let the government refuse to negotiate, we will unfold our strategy then.”
Ogunyemi added that ASUU went on strike since March as a result of government insensitivity to the country’s tertiary education. Part of the union’s grouse is the poor funding for the education sector which the government has not addresses since 2009.
He also said “there is deliberate attempt to kill university education in the country. Some universities use stoves in their laboratories instead of burners and buckets to fetch water to perform experiments. It’s as bad as that.”
ASUU listed other demands for government implementation. They include:improved facilities on campuses, student welfare, staff promotion and welfare.
The national president lamented that “there are plans to make education inaccessible to children of the poor which today is creating social vices like yahoo-yahoo, yahoo-plus, banditry and so on.
Meanwhile, reports say that members of the union sealed up the gates of LASU this morning, preventing students from resuming school. The incident caused massive traffic build up at the Lagos Badagry Expressway.
The Lagos State Governor had authorised the resumption of academic activities in the state’s tertiary institutions.
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