The Heart Of The Matter Over ASUU Strike

Ezinwanne Onwuka has written on the heart of the matter over ASUU strike.

The latest strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, the 16th since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999, continues to cast a dark cloud on the suitability and sustainability of our tertiary education. At the centre of the recurrent strike actions is the failure of successive governments to formulate sound policies for the nation’s tertiary education system. The government is usually lackadaisical towards crucial problems, particularly funding the sector, and this attitude indicates a lack of willingness and commitment to better the sector.

Anyone following the development between the federal government and ASUU over the years will readily agree that the manner in which federal government foot-drags in disbursing funds that will not only make a difference in the lives of millions of Nigerians, but also guarantee a better future for all, goes beyond lack of funds, like they are always quick to say; it is simply a case of lack of interest in the education sector.

Lack of interest explains why the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu angrily walked out on the executives of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, during an emergency meeting where the students demanded a quick resolution of the ongoing ASUU strike that have paralysed academic activities in the nation’s universities.

Lack of interest also explains why the government, oftentimes, has to be pressured to review long-standing policies and agreements regarding the finances of the sector. Even upon review, there has often been a lack of commitment on the part of the government to implement these policies, which shows that it is unbothered by the long-standing policies and agreements to revive the sector.

Since 2009 when the federal government and ASUU re-negotiated a 2001 agreement, both parties have been at loggerheads over the failure of the former to fulfill some of the agreements reached. With over five strike actions since that agreement and with the federal government consistently reneging on it, it has become obvious that successive governments lack interest in improving the ailing education sector. Sadly, this negligence, particularly as regards to funding, on the part of the government continues to degenerate the quality of tertiary education in the country.

This is even more so considering the fact that educational services and opportunities have become tremendously expanded, sophisticated, complex and highly politicized, yet the funding task has become consistently negative, deteriorating and unstable.

Given that no nation can develop above its educational attainment, just as no educational system can be stronger than its funding level, the federal government must, of necessity, develop as much interest in the education sector as it does to the oil and agricultural sector by increasing budgetary allocations to the sector and honour agreements that have been signed with the academic union.

By Ezinwanne Onwuka, Abuja.