Parents of students who have been at home due to the strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU have lamented the disruptive consequences of the industrial action by the union.
The parents are worried that the strike seems unending after various meetings were held between ASUU and the government.
A number of parents whose children are in the university revealed some painful reality on the damages ASUU strike has caused over time saying “it’s hasn’t gotten better if not worse”.
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Daily News 24 reports that the Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU has on Monday, 14th Feb. 2022, gone on a month warning strike and vowed to sustain it indefinitely if the federal government fails to accomplish the 2009 agreement.
It has been three weeks and counting and the duo are yet to reach a conclusion on the terms of the agreement.
One of the parents; Amina Ibrahim has complained bitterly about how ASUU’s unending strike has cost the study plan of her daughter who is supposed to have graduated since two years back but is still in school, in her words; “She has been in 300 level for close to 3years”.
Aside from “Corona break”, the Federal government and ASUU jointly disrupted her plan, the time to further studies, get results and work to earn a living has been shortened”.
“We’re in a country where it takes time to get work like it’s some gold medal competition. If the supposed future leaders are being subjected to wasting at least four years in the course of getting educated, why won’t many give up?”
She added that the frustrating issue of constant strikes by federal universities can make youths stop believing in the system.
“As much as we are citizens of this country, we have the right to enjoy some advantage and that includes federal school because according to what’s is supposed, the tuition is to be cheaper and offer better quality schools.
“I, therefore, urge the federal government to reach an agreement with union as privatizing federal universities is not going to help the citizens as most individuals can barely provide the day’s meal, and hence drop out rate is going to increase drastically.
“We are in this already and I can only hope it comes to an end” – Mallam Usman said in a phone conversation.
Speaking with a student of Bayero University Kano, Mugeesah Abdullahi, revealed that ASUU has not just disrupted the academic plan of her parents for her but also caused her parents’ financial setbacks.
According to her “from my parent’s perspective, it is slowing my pace, and as a woman, I have to finish degree early so I can attain other school qualifications but because of ASUU strike, I’m not going to graduate at the predicted age I’m supposed to And also in terms of accommodation, I’m staying off-campus I will be paying house rent.
For this, the finances meant for other problems at home is diverted here and this may end up causing setbacks as there is not enough to spend on only me no for the fact that there are other kids”.
Some parents maintained that there’s a lot of financial demands as they have to spend transport to far distance more than the normal number of times in a session and which costs a whole lot.
In their idea, the students are into the system and it doesn’t make much difference withdrawing considering the time lost but hopes it ends soon and urges the federal government to try and reach an agreement with ASUU.
Speaking Mallam Yunusa Majabi said: “The fact that ASUU is demanding the amount of 1trillion is unthinkable, the situation of the country is quite bad to afford such and that, is crystal clear”, he added that the 1.3trillion Naira was supposed to be a sum of what Good luck Jonathan’s government promised ASUU when the government was doing good.
“I’m aware that the union fights for the right of the students but I feel it’s high time the union found another option to this industrial strike because the effect on the students is becoming alarming as it is damaging the lives they are claiming to build,” he said.
