ASUU accuses FG of moves to deprive youths access to education

Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has accused the federal government of deliberate attempt to deprived Nigerian youths access to qualitative education.

The union said the body language and antics of the government has explained measures been adopted to completely destroy education in the country especially tertiary education.

This was contained in a statement jointly signed by ASUU, Kano University of Science and Technology (KUST), Wudil, Chairman, Muhammad Sani Gaya and Secretary, Murtala Muhammad, on Tuesday.

The statement said,’’ We are prepared and determined to continue enduring the torture and negative media campaign against our struggle in order to liberate ourselves , the young and upcoming generations of Nigerians from the deliberate efforts to deny them access to quality and affordable education.

‘’Indeed, education is the only weapon that can change the society, denying our youth education is akin to destroying the nation. The intention of the FG to destroy university education in Nigeria should be vehemently resisted,’’ the statement said.

In the statement, the union said the use of hunger to coerce members of ASUU to suspend its indefinite strike has failed in the past and definitely will not yield any result now.

For the avoidance of doubt, the union is resolute, determined, focused and ready to continue the struggle in order to salvage the Nigerian public universities from eminent collapse.

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‘’Unfortunately, the FG is blessed with enough wrong people at right places. Irritably, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu is badly informed of university system and dilettante with the primary duties of an academic staff. The public may note that based on laws establishing universities, an academic staff is employed to teach, conduct research and render community service. So, when ASUU embarked on strike, only the teaching component stopped thus the issue of imposing “no work no pay” doesn’t rightly and legally apply to academic staff.’’

According to the statement, the demands of the union are not self-serving but altruistic.

“As a body of intellectuals, our union demands repositioning of our universities for greater efficiency in national development and technological advancement.

“Also, massive and sustained funding for our universities; a reversal of apparent decay in the university system; and, enhanced and competitive remuneration for overworked academic staff in Nigerian Universities.

“Nigerians should join ASUU to ask the Federal Government to toe the path of honour by respecting the agreement it freely entered with our union.”

‘’It is paradoxical to note that while the government has acknowledged the demands of ASUU as genuine and patriotic, yet the FG under the stewardship of Major General Muhammadu Buhari has shown lack of political will, nonchalance and ill-intention towards salvaging the University System from eminent collapse arising from the comatose created by the above highlighted issues.’’

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The statement reads:’’ Visitation Panels: – In accordance with the Universities Miscellaneous (Provisions) Amendment Act 2003 and best practices, visitation to universities should be sent every five years. The Panel is empowered to examine and evaluate the academic, financial and administrative performance of universities and submit report to the Visitor (President for the Federal Universities or the State Governor for State University). The Visitor shall make the report of the Visitation Panels and subsequent White Paper available to the public and Governing Council, which shall implement same. At this juncture, it is necessary to draw the attention of the FG on the need to emulate the political will and commitment of Kano State Government on the timely release of the Government White Paper on the Visitation panel report of Kano University of Science and Technology Wudil. ‘’

‘’This will ensure transparency and prudent management of financial, material and human resources of the University. The FG must hasten the release of all the visitation panel reports and issuance of its White Paper to this regards.’’

‘’ASUU KUST Wudil wants to make it abundantly and categorically clear that the insinuations going round that the prosecution of the current six-month old strike is solely the business of Federal Universities and FG, is a fallacy and must be debunked. It is quite glaring that the aforementioned demands are directly and indirectly applicable and beneficial to the state Universities as much as the federal Universities.’’

‘’It must be put on record that in terms of capital projects, the state Universities heavily relied on TetFund and NEEDs Assessment interventions, which are direct products of ASUU patriotic struggle. Most of the available buildings in state Universities, equipment, research grants, staff training and development are funded either by TETFund or NEEDs Intervention. If TETFund and NEEDs intervention projects are to be removed from state Universities, they will be reduced to glorified secondary schools. Therefore, the notions that state Universities are on solidarity strike are completely wrong, ill-informed and dangerous. The general public may wish to note that ASUU is one indivisible entity, branches are given charter and there is nothing like Federal or State ASUU.’’

‘’It is quite disheartening that ASUU this time is dealing with an insincere and dishonest FG that claims to be fighting corruption but is surrounded by corrupt elements whose major preoccupation is denying the citizenry reasonable living standard and quality education.’’