As academic and non-academic workers in the university system threaten another round of strike action, students and parents say they don’t want universities to close again, urging workers and the government to find a solution.
According to them, one of the reasons institutions are performing poorly in worldwide rankings is their frequent closures.
The National Association of Nigerian Students, or NANS, represented the students, while the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria, or NAPTAN, represented the parents.
In an interview with the, Comrade Lucky Emonefe, National President of NANS, stated that students are always the ones who bore the brunt of university workers’ industrial activities.
What they’re saying
“The government should listen to teachers and university staff in general.Some of the lecturers’ complaints are valid. “Consider the composition of Governing Councils for higher education institutions in the country; many people who do not have jobs have been appointed to such posts.
“Such critical roles should be reserved for educational technocrats and professors.
“Why would the government not an agreement that it voluntarily agreed into?Respect the agreement you signed.
“However, I would encourage ASUU members to make room for mediation and discussion because, in the end, all parties will still come to the table to talk.Allow the parties to make room for negotiation and mediation. Students are always on the receiving end of such fights between the factions, and no one wants to waste his or her valuable time,” he stated.
Also speaking, Chief Adeolu Ogunbanjo, Deputy National President of NAPTAN, stated that the government should keep its commitment to the workers.
“The government should compensate them and meet their responsibilities. When they went on strike the last time, part of the agreement was that no one would be victimised as a result of their actions.
“So, if you do not pay them their dues, are you not exploiting the workers? If ASUU, SSANU, and NASU go on strike, the entire university system will collapse. The other time parents were forced to keep their children at home for approximately a session, which was detrimental to the system. “According to the most recent worldwide university ranking, the country’s best-ranked university was about 1,000th. All of these frequent strikes contribute to our colleges’ low standing. “The government should simply be aware of its responsibilities and avoid another round of industrial unrest,” he stated.
Why this matters
Following the government’s failure to accept some of their demands, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, or ASUU, has already begun planning another strike. Last week, the union began statewide press briefings and awareness campaigns on concerns that it said could disrupt academic activities on campuses.
Their top demand is the renegotiation and execution of the 2009 Agreement.The deal addresses a variety of issues, including improved welfare packages, university finance, and improved facilities. In addition, ASUU is requesting payment of four months’ worth of withholding member salary.
The union withheld eight months’ salary following the 2022 strike, but the Bola Tinubu administration has only paid for four months.
Non-teaching staff, represented by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT), and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Allied Institutions (NASU), are also demanding payment of withheld salaries ranging from three and a half to five and a half months.
They are also seeking for the implementation of a previous deal reached between their unions and the administration. Academic and non-academic unions have provided varied dates for when their demands must be realised or they will strike.
Bottom Line
Students and parents in Nigeria, represented by NANS and NAPTAN, are urging the government and university staff to resolve their issues without resorting to another strike, which they say harms students and lowers the global ranking of Nigerian universities. They emphasize the need for the government to honor agreements and fulfill its commitments to prevent further disruptions.
