25/11/2020
ASUU: The Most Solid Union In Nigeria (Facts And Reasons)
Since 1978, the Academic Staff Union of Universities remain the "last men standing Union" defending the education of the common Man, even when they are accused of selfish demands; yet they still hold better cards than all other unions including the so called N.L.C.
Down the memory lane of the 1988, 1992, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2017, 2019 and 2020 strikes, we've experienced 42 years of constant struggle to uphold the 'Nigerian Educational standard'. Imagine the conditions of our public tertiary education in Nigeria without ASUU, even as it exist, those in the positions of power continue to send their kids to foreign Universities while intentionally refusing to 'commit properly' to what will avoid ASUU strikes.
Let us try to analyze the future of a country with over 200 Million citizens, but only allocate 6.7 % of the 2020 budget in its education sector. What do you think of the N13.08 Trillion as budget for the year 2021 but only 5.6% of those trillions goes to education. It is a shame that 'the giant of Africa' keep setting a weak and discouraging pace for other baby countries.
Let's revisit some bitter facts: Today is 21st November 2020, exactly 1year + 90 days that the Education Minister assumed office for his 2nd term since August 21, 2020; despite his inability to meet up with his Ministerial Strategic Plan (MSP 2016-2019). Can any student, lecturer or politician show us any substantial transformation or practical progress in our public tertiary Institutions?. It is painful how some Nigerians side with the Government while blaming ASUU over these strikes. Imagine the fate of a commoner in the Nigerian Educational System without ASUU.
Imagine the future of the Nigerian Universities without visual lecturing facilities; by 2040 when the population of Nigerians may climax to about 500 Million people, how do you see our Universities?.
How do you feel when 500-800 students are packed like sardines in a lecture hall without microphone or even light to power the bulbs or fans in the hall?. Nobody talks about luxury in our Universities, we are still battling with the inadequate necessity. How do you feel when you see Federal Universities with no internet connection in this global era of the 21st century?.
How do you feel when you visit any of the departmental, Faculty or University's main Library; only to find outdated Books, the acclaimed ICT resource centers are filled with obsolete, dusty, rusty and dead computers of the 1980's?. Now that the Gov't utilize both the pandemic and the strike to suspend Universities learning for close to 9 Months, did their children stopped schooling abroad?.
How do you feel as a father or a Student to be running to bushes as toilet, walk kilometers in search of water, spend hours or even days without electricity, use street lights as the most reliable reading environment, treks several minutes because there are no shuttle buses etc. Do you understand what it takes to be called a "University student or lecturer?"
How do you feel when you see that almost all the private Primary Schools are having more standard facilities than almost all the Federal Universities (Except few) while the Libraries and Laboratories of our Private Secondary Schools are better than our acclaimed Federal institutions (Except few).
Imagine the wages, allowances, welfare and fair treatment of Lecturers that are believed to be the highest shapers of the future compared to the most unqualified political appointees!.Do you care to know how state Governments treat Educational facilities compared to the Executive furnishings giving to their legislative assemblies and other offices?.
Are we indirectly encouraging our youths to pay more attention to politics than education?. Are we remembering the future of our children while comparing with the qualitative past of our leaders that got pampered to go to school and even have 'ready made' jobs waiting for them?.
The same beneficiaries of the past bonus' are the ones using negligence, unfavorable policies and intentional carelessness to destroy the educational standard of the commoner, simply because they never have their kids in public schools.
Do you care to know how junior lecturers struggle hard to get scholarships for further capacity building?. Do you care to know the unavoidable importance of Visiting lecturers, especially senior lecturers that are scarcely available and specialized in certain courses?. Do you know that Nigeria of over 200 Million population requires at least 200,000 qualified lecturers instead of the existing less than 40,000 in Nigerian public Universities?.
It is statistically proven that our Federal Universities have less than 25,000 lecturers while the State Universities have less than 16,000 Lecturers. Do you know that Egypt have more than 60,000 Professors and teaching staf, just in their 24 public Universities?. South Africa have more than 4,034 Professors, just Professors!.
We are Nation full of potentials but challenged by misplacement of priorities. Despite our challenges in the Educational system, our science related students faces the worst.
From Medical students, Engineering, technology, Chemical Sciences, ICT, Genetics, Biotechnology, Artificial intelligence etc; all are trained with obsolete tool. With all the facts on ground, how do you justify the negligence of the authorities concerns and end up insulting ASUU?.
How do you expect our Educational system to work both at the Federal, states and local level when our Federal Ministers and States Commissioners of Education are free to own private Schools?. Imagine SUBEB Chairmen and E.S of local government having private Nursery and primary schools, what do you think will ever change?.
When the leaders of a Nation prefer to send their children to United Kingdom for degrees, how then do you blame ASUU for the strikes? Is it that you don't understand how men care less on what doesn't affect them or you so much love to defend the politicians?. Before you blame ASUU, know that Fatima Buhari went to BUSINESS ACADEMY, Stratford, United Kingdom.
Know that Safinatu Buhari went to University of PLYMOUTH, United Kingdom; (Now Arden University, U. K). Halima Buhari went to University of Leicester, U. K. Yusuf Buhari went to University of Surrey, United Kingdom. Zarah Buhari went to University of Surrey, United Kingdom. Hanan Buhari went to RAVENSBOURNE University in England.
The No. 2 citizen of Nigeria equally send Fiyin Osinbajo to Warwick University in the same United Kingdom. Even the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission send his kid to University of Aberdeen United Kingdom, while Students at home continue to be hopeless, struggling through B. Sc to PhD, spending 7 years in a 4 year course. You think Nigerian education will ever get the right attention?.
In conclusion, i strongly recommend that the Academic Staff Union of the Universities to urgently consider the following submission to save the academic future of Nigeria and to regain back their glory that's about to be completely insulted by politicians especially those in power:
1: Academicians especially Professors should desist from participating in electoral collation and returns, completely and unanimously, that's because the attitude of a lot of Professors as Returning Officers were considered disgraceful and unpatriotic; which is why the politicians even have additional temerity to treat ASUU as they do!.
2. Set up 'ASUU Special Orientation Club' in all Universities to intimate and engage Students on the social struggle. The union can only sustain it struggle if they have the popular support of the public and as it is, the Government have always succeeded in wining the public sympathy, especially because they use the media well. Education is the most sacrosanct defense of the common men; it should be protected at all cost.
Michael Kanisuru Adeyeri:
Nuhu Ibrahim
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