In what looks like an unending disagreement between the Federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities(ASUU), thereby grounding academic activities accross Universities in the country, Students and Parents have continued to lament over this development.
DailyNews 24 reports that since the declaration by the Lecturers of Nigerian Universities in February to commence a four-week warning strike, it is the third time the union will announced warning strike consecutively, as they are yet to reach a common ground with the Federal government after several meetings, hence, leaving the Students and even their parents/ guardians in a no-hope situation, it was learnt.
The most recent warning strike announced by the ASUU which is currently ongoing, will last for 12 weeks, and probably declare another warning strike or indefinite after it elapsed, if their demands are not met.
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When this journalist feel the pulse of Students and Parents in Kaduna over the lingering ASUU strike, it was a tale of dismay and hope.
A 300L student of Nasarawa state University, NSUK, Mercy Aguda said she feel pained and devastated upon hearing the recent 12wks warning strike to be embarked upon, but hope it will come to an end in no time.
She said, ” Seriously it’s painful because, you know having counting the days am going to graduate, and then adding months; it’s actually a painful but, there is nothing that can be done to it, as students we can’t just go out and start protesting, it can be bloody, just as the situation of the country right now, so I think the best thing is just to patiently wait and pray for God to take control.
“I have skills that I have learnt, so my plans is just to put it into use, because I can’t just sit down and be waiting for the school to call-off strike and go back to school, so life goes on, my plans is just to continue my skills, business and keep moving because I can’t just wait for school, I don’t know when it will end, I don’t even know when I will graduate”.
For Daniel Anthony Jacob, a 100L student of University of Lokoja said the declaration of the recent warning strike by ASUU did not come to him with surprise neither, did he feel too bad.
According to him, “Presently, I am not feeling bad, because I expected it, why because, when I heard our Minister of Education buying the form for presidency, I know that if your father can reject you, who want to help you, so, we just know that someone that is fighting for us, his attention is now diverted, I just know that there is no hope, our education sector is bad”
Anthony who is a sales boy in a shop where Electronics are sold said, his plans is to work harder to get money and not sit idle, as he is not from a well- to-do family.
Similarly, a Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) student at the Kaduna state University(KASU), Mrs Amaka, expressed dissatisfaction over the issue, saying, “To be honest, it is not palatable when I heard that news. I was so sad, because by now we are suppose to be rounding up with our last semester exams.
“For now, I decided to be helping my husband with his business, at least to keep myself busy not to be idle, from time to time when I have the time, I will open my book and glance through it, but it is better they stop it and go back to school so that we can finish this progrmame” she said.
In their own reactions, parents have also expressed sadness over the continued FG-ASUU face-off, therefore, pleaded with them to come to a lasting agreement, in other to help secure the future of the students.
Mr Abdullateef Tomori, whose daughter is reading Law in Ahmadu Bello University, according him, lamented that ,” I was not happy at all because I don’t know why the govt is dragging the issue.
They have signed agreement with these people, and that you are going to abide by the agreement, which you didn’t follow, so I can’t blame the lecturers, they are fighting for thier rights, so the only thing is govt should take action quickly so that these children can go back to school.
“It is even affecting them, they are just at home doing nothing, govt should hasten up and do the needful and allow these lecturers to go back to the class”
“ASUU should come down, they should sit down with the govt,let them have discussion because they cannot fulfil all their promises, but if they can fulfil part of it, just agree with them because everybody know the situation in the country now, there is no money, govt us passing through alot of things, so they should just agree with them, anything they offer them, they should just take it like that”.
Consequently, another parent who do not want her name on print, said the the lingering strike if not finding a lasting solution too will have effect students and even, the nation.
According to her, ” When the children are at home, their time are being wasted, not all of them can go to where they will learn, we should be factual with yourselves, it is not all of them.
“It is not good enough for our nation, families, as individual and even the government.
They need to look into the situation, and if the lecturers too want to join Politics, let them resign their appointment and allow those who are ready to work to come in, there are alots of people out there looking for the job, so why wil they just stand on collecting without seeing what they are collecting for”. she said.
