Education Stakeholder Reacts as Tinubu Says No More Strike in Nigerian Universities
- An education expert, Adesegun Ogungbayi, has said the situation whereby lecturers will abandon the students in the class, embark on strike and come back to claim salaries is "absurd"
- Speaking in an interview with Legit.ng, Ogungbayi said industrial strikes by academic and non-academic staff unions are one of the causes of examination malpractices, social vices, and corruption
- Ogungbayi stated that he would be glad to see President Bola Ahmed Tinubu "establish an uncommon synergy with university unions to ensure that strike actions die naturally"
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 6-year-experience covering basic and tertiary education in Nigeria and worldwide
Shomolu, Lagos state - Adesegun Ogungbayi, the project coordinator of the Academic Excellence Initiative (AEI), has reacted to President Bola Tinubu's assurance of halting strikes in Nigerian universities.
Legit.ng recalls that speaking recently at the 33rd convocation ceremony of the Federal University of Technology (FUTA), Akure, Ondo state, President Tinubu expressed hope that the cooperation of university unions with the federal government would ensure the needed educational development in the country.
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"Strike is a social issue" - Ogungbayi
The Nigerian leader said his administration would take all necessary actions to ensure Nigerian universities do not embark on strike actions again.
According to the president, his administration was committed to tackling all challenges confronting the education sector in the country and to reposition the sector.
Reacting to the president's pledge, Ogungbayi stated that he would be delighted to see President Tinubu establish an uncommon synergy with all university unions in the country.
He told Legit.ng in an interview:
"The parents of the innocent students across the universities in Nigeria will be happy to see His Excellency, President Tinubu, actualise the quest to ensure that university staff are not going on strike again
"The situation we find ourselves in Nigeria is absurd that lecturers will abandon the students in the class, go on strike and come back to claim salaries in the name of agreed industrial actions."
Ogungbayi continued:
"The industrial strike by academic and non-academic staff unions is one of the causes of examination malpractices, social vices, and corruption.
"Strike is a social issue and not different from corruption because it eats into the training and learning time of the innocent students, thereby turning majority of them into half-baked graduates.
"I will be happy to see President Tinubu establish an uncommon synergy with all university unions in Nigeria in order to ensure that strike actions die naturally.
"There can not be technological advancement in Nigeria if our academic staff unions prefer strike actions to the learning processes of the students, because the planned curriculum will never be fully implemented so I am with President Tinubu on his stand and am equally ready to support him with all my strength."
Tinubu speaks on fee hike in universities
In a piece of related news, Legit.ng reported that Tinubu sent a warning to authorities of public universities in Nigeria against what he described as the “arbitrary increase in various fees payable by students.”
The president said the practice is unwholesome and lamented that it hurts the growth and development of tertiary education in the country.
Tinubu stressed that it has made many indigent youths not have access to tertiary education in the country.
ASUU drags Tinubu over funding of universities
Legit.ng also reported that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) kicked against the move by President Tinubu-led federal government to withdraw from funding federal universities in the country.
Emmanuel Osodeke, the president of the union, who sent the warning on Thursday, September 14, while appearing in an interview on Channels Television, said it is illegal for the federal government to stop funding federal institutions.
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Source: Legit.ng
