By Fidelia Okosodo
Some students on Tuesday called on the Federal Government to meet the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) following its four weeks extension.
They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, that meeting their demands would bring an end to the lecturers ongoing strike.
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They said the incessant strike was inappropriate for the education sector, adding that, it had stalled the academic performance and progress of many students.
Victory Adebowale, a student, said that the extension of the ongoing strike was disheartening, saying that the strike had lasted for too long and had affected Nigerian students negatively.
According to him, the Federal Government and ASUU have had enough negotiations within the last five months, adding that the extension would further subject students to depression.
Adebolwale said that embarking on strike tended to keep students in school for more than the supposed estimated period of academic session.
“Our house rent expires during the strike and most landlords do not care, some students might lose interest in academic activities following the “Yahoo Yahoo’’ trend which is now rampant in the society.
“They might at the end of the day, see schooling as a waste of time and that schooling is a scam” he said.
Ruth Essanse, another student, said she was not really being affected by the ongoing strike as it came during her industrial attachment programme.
She said that the extension of the strike by the union was to give the government and ASUU enough time to deliberate on possible ways of solving the issues of strike.
Essanse urged the Federal Government to sign the 2009 renegotiated agreement, aimed at improving universities’ teaching and learning outcomes, saying that the ongoing strike was due to lack of attention on the universities.
Mr James Mutudi, a student said extending the strike was to draw the attention of stakeholders and the Federal Government in meeting the needs of ASUU.
She said the industrial action had also affected both students and lecturers, adding that many lecturers had resolved into doing menial job to provide for their families.
“I feel so sad spending extra one month after the five months strike. The Government has failed us, they don’t care about our future and our educational sector,” he said.
Mutudi, therefore, advised fellow students to use the strike period for skills acquisition or business, rather than staying idle, adding that, he was doing brick laying.
Hope Opomu, another student ,pointed out that the reason for the extension was because the Federal Government was being adamant in meeting the demands of ASUU.
“I won’t blame ASUU for extending the ongoing strike by four weeks if their demands were not meant,” she said.
Opomu added that the strike was extended to give the government time to pay salaries and also meet other demands of ASUU, adding that the extension was at the detriment of students future.
She added that the strike was a major setback to academic activities as it hindered students from graduating at the speculated time.
Opomu advised students to endure and join hands together by protesting and ensuring that the Federal Government met the demands of ASUU. (NAN)
