By Chimezie Godfrey
In its efforts to end the protracted ASUU strike, the Save- Public Education Campaign, a pro- education organization, has concluded plans to convene a town-hall meeting of critical stakeholders to address challenge.
The Campaign in line with its mandate of upholding educational rights of the masses in Nigeria, has deemed it necessary to find a lasting solution to the lingering strike action that has in the past 6 months closed down tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
Recall that in past six months tertiary institutions across the country have been on strike due to disagreement between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU. Also, all efforts made so far to address the issues that led to the strike action, and to allow Nigerian students go back to school have been fruitless.
The hope of students going back to school seemed to be hopelessly dashed when of recent ASUU declared the strike indefinite. in view of the foregoing, among other factors including the rising insecurity and increase in crime rate perpetrated mostly by youths who are supposed to be in school concentrating on their studies, the Campaign has deemed it necessary to bring together on a roundtable the Federal Government, ASUU and other stakeholders to chat a way forward and to ultimately resolve the seemingly unresolvable challenge.
The town hall meeting which is scheduled to hold in Abuja on Thursday, will feature as Guest Speakers the following stakeholders; Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Education – Sen. Ibrahim Geidam; Chairman, House Representatives Committee on Education – Hon. Lydia Ikpeazu; Executive Secretary, NUC-Prof. Abubakar Adamu Rasheed; President, Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC – Comrade Ayuba Wabba; President, Trade Union Congress, TUC – Comrade Festus Osifo,; and Executive Secretary , NUC – Prof. Abubakar Adamu Rasheed
Other speakers are; Comrade Femi Falana (SAN) Human Rights Advocate, Comrade Jaiye Gaskiya – TPAM Secretariat; Comrade Vivian Bellow – Save-Public Education Campaign (SPEC), Comrade Owot Dammy- Secretary of Workers and Youth Solidarity Network; Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke – President, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU); Comrade Damilare Adenola – Chairman, Fund Education Coalition; and Comrade Deborah Yusuf – TIB North-Central Coordinator, Social Justice Advocate and Political Analyst.
