Nigerian varsities will be like primary schools in three years without our strike – ASUU President

Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has said that if not for its struggle Nigerian universities may be reduced to public primary schools in three years.

ASUU President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, disclosed this Tuesday during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today.

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President Muhammadu Buhari had Tuesday directed the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, to resolve the prolonged industrial action embarked upon by the ASUU and other university-based unions.

But responding to the directive, Osodeke said two weeks is too long to resolve the face-off between the union and the federal government.

He said, “If we are not sincere, if we are not fully committed, we would have abandoned this struggle. Do you know what will happen? In the next two to three years Nigerian universities will be like public primary and secondary schools.

“If we are not sincere Federal Government will not be owing our five-month salaries and we are still on strike looking for how to raise money for our children; we would have gone back. What we are saying is that the government should change our system. I want to plead to the president on behalf of Nigerian children who cannot afford it that the legacy he should leave behind is to transform this system.”

Responding to the president’s directive, Osodeke said, “Two weeks is too long. The issue of negotiation has been completed by both sides. They should just come back to us and say we have agreed to sign.”