Daily Trust Sunday

FG, please meet ASUU demands

- Abdullahi Madi wrote from Azare, Bauchi State.

Once again students in federal universiti­es across the country are at home due to strike embarked upon by lecturers. The strike, as usual is due to the government’s refusal to honour an agreement it reached with the lecturers. One important issue that should be considered by both parties is the fact that anytime this occurs, it’s the students, who were not part of the agreement that suffer. Why does the government allow situations to deteriorat­e to this level?

Since it is aware of the agreement, why doesn’t it make provision for the money in its yearly budget? Things do not have to get to this point before it responds. Secondly, strikes make students to spend more time in universiti­es that necessary, just as it gives advantage to those who attend private universiti­es, which do not experience strikes.

Sadly, not many Nigerians can afford the fees for private universiti­es, leaving them at the mercy of government owned institutio­ns. Also, the idle mind is the devil’s workshop. These young minds need to be engaged meaningful­ly or they will resort to things that may not add value to themselves or the country. I, therefore, urge the federal government to meet the demands of the lecturers as soon as possible so that they can return to the classroom.

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