More so, the word ‘ASUU strike’ is just one of the most used semantics, it keeps occurring in speculation and reality.
While some students have recently stayed at home due to series of internal crises,
the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU is poised to add more salt on their injury.
Addressing journalists yesterday in Abuja, ASUU president, Biodun Ogunyemi informed that ASUU may soon go on strike if quick measures were not taken by the federal government to address some of their challenges.
Here are 7 top reasons why ASUU may embark on strike:
1. 2009 ASUU-FG agreement
The agreement included details such as the breakdown of lecturers’ salary structure, staff loans, pension, overtime, and moderation of examinations.
Part of the agreement dwelt on funding of universities where both parties agreed that each federal university should get at least N1.5 trillion between 2009 and 2011 while state universities, within the same period, should receive N3.6 million per student.
Although, it is unclear how much the federal government have staked since then, full implementation of the agreement is top on ASUU’s Priority list.
2. Scrapping of post- UTME
The universities have often times been tasked by the government to seek means of generating wealth internally to augment what it gets from the central.
One of such lucrative money making business is the post-UTME examination charges which the federal government have decided to do away with. The lecturers are not comfortable with this and may result to industrial action to drive home their grievances.
3. Eroded autonomy
Before now, the universities are the ‘Alpha and Omega’ of admissions. The Senate of a university is the highest policy-making body on academic matters, particularly admission of students and award of degrees.
They admit based on their criteria, not minding the rules by JAMB.
A typical institution will admit double what it can cater for in terms of facilities, some will admit more from the internally-run pre-degree program than the qualified ones from JAMB.
They admit after deadlines. Some even run more than one class of a level; situations such as 100level A, 100 Level B…abounds in our ivory towers.
All these and many more will be cut short by JAMB policies; admissions are now subject to ratification by the body.
4. Reduced ‘Egunje’
As buttressed in points 2 and 3, universities make money from legal and illegal deals.
The illegal ones lecturers sometimes benefit from directly. One of them, owner of a tutorial centre who recently lamented asked where they (federal government) want him to sell all his printed post-UTME past questions.
Such lecturer will jump at the idea of strike.
5. Personal benefits
Many lecturers are engaged in other things that include research, consultancy, business and the likes.
Sometimes, these responsibilities require more time and travels, this they may not get enough when the academic session is on.
They embrace strike easily since they will, besides working better for themselves, earn their salaries at the end of the strike.
6. FG’s body language
The APC-led government came into power with huge promises, raising the hope of not only the lecturers but also the students.
However, the government has not been able to effect any radical change in its one year in office.
More excruciating, FG does not show readiness to sustain the existing order. Many of these are contained in the 2009 agreement.
7. It’s been a while…
Actually, it’s been a while our lecturers went on a general strike.
Our academic calendar is used to it so also our lecturers.
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