By Jessica Oshomagbe
As the indefinite strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU entered its second week, parents and teachers have appealed to the federal government and the union to find a lasting solution to the strike.
The parents who are at the receiving end also called on the striking lecturers to embrace dialogue where necessary in the interest of the students. Faith Oladayo, a businesswoman and mother of three undergraduates who spoke to TELL urged both government and lecturers to end the strike considering its effects on both students and their parents.
She lamented that if the strike should continue it would alter many universities’ academic calendars and make it difficult for students to graduate at the right time. Oladayo also expressed concern that most of the students will stay at home doing nothing.
[expander_maker id=”1″ more=”Read more” less=”Read less”]
Another parent, Alex Samson who is also a teacher in one of the government secondary schools in the FCT, decried the incessant industrial actions in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector. He described the current development as unhealthy for the future of the students.
Samson said: “It is unfortunate that some students have spent over five years for courses that are supposed to last for four years as a result of frequent strikes. Whenever ASUU goes on strike, it is the children of the poor that suffer. Most children of the rich do not attend our universities. Therefore we are pleading with government and ASUU to call off the strike.”
ASUU commenced strike on November 4, over poor funding of universities. It is, therefore, urging the government to honour the agreement it entered into in this regard in the course of negotiations. [/expander_maker]
WhatsApp us