By Chimezie Godfrey
The Save-Public-Campaign, Nigeria, has said the call off of the protracted ASUU strike is an opportunity for the Nigerian Government to right the wrongs in the country’s educational system.
Recall that the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has called off its strike action on Friday 14th October, 2022
A source revealed that the union decided to suspend the strike during a meeting of its leadership that started on Thursday night and lasted into the early hours of Friday.
The Convener, Save-Public-Education-Campaign, Comrade Vivian Bello noted that the Campaign welcomes the call off by ASUU, adding that this would bring relief to parent and students who were caught up with the protracted industrial crises.
Comrade Bello noted that despite the euphoria of the call off, the Campaign bemoaned the enormous loss of academic time and the huge impact and toll it took on students and parents, among others.
She said,”The SAVE-PUBLIC-EDUCATION-CAMPAIGN, Nigeria, welcomes the call-off by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU,
of its strike action on Friday 14th October, 2022 .As a Civic Group which has been in the forefront for the struggle for amicable resolution of the industrial dispute and return of students to classes in the Universities, we join parents and students all over the country who inadvertently or otherwise, were caught up in the protracted industrial crisis, to heave a sigh of relief.
“Regardless of the euphoria of the strike call-off, the
SAVE-PUBLIC-EDUCATIONCAMPAIGN is however saddened by the gaping loss of academic time and the huge impact and toll this took on students and parents, as well as the nation’s socio-economic life as a whole. We bemoan the dozens of professors and University Lecturers who left the shores of Nigeria in droves, to ply their services with other nations, an unquantifiable loss to the educational growth and development of our Nigerian Youths.
“We make bold to say, that all these were very avoidable if those in authorities in the sector, had acted with more proactively and responsibly.
“We salute the courage of ASUU in striving, against all odds and fighting to correct the wrongs in the University system in Nigeria and duly resting the industrial action at a time as this, in the over-arching interest of our Country, Nigeria.”
The Human Rights Activist urged the authorities not to take the academic Body and the issues it raised for granted, but rather seize the conducive atmosphere created by the ending of the industrial action, to pointedly attend to the issues bedeviling the educational system of Nigeria.
“SAVE-PUBLIC-EDUCATION-CAMPAIGN would like to use this occasion, to strongly charge the authorities at both the helm of affairs of the Country, as well as at the Ministry of Education, not to take the academic Body and the issues it raised for granted with this patriotic strike Call-off, but rather now seize the conducive atmosphere created by the ending of the industrial action, and sit down and pointedly attend to the issues bedeviling the educational system of Nigeria in both our Universities, as well as in other levels of education, in a sustainable and lasting manner.
“Lastly, we would like to commend all and sundry, who played various roles, both openly and behind the scene towards ending the strike crisis, including Labour Unions, CSOs, religious groups and individuals, Activists, Statesmen and Women, the Media, etc.
“The SAVE-PUBLICEDUCATION-CAMPAIGN would like to encourage us all to please stay vigilant and oversight this sector closely in order to guard against getting back to the same situation where we are today. Let us remember, that eternal vigilance they say, is the price of Freedom,” she stated.
