END ASUP STRIKE NOW! When ASUU went on strike, the whole media was awashed with news bothering on the strike. Not minding that ASUP had earlier on embarked on a three months old strike. On this medium too, were people who took the ASUU strike personal, if you opposed the strike, you were attacked and called all kinds of names. I happened to be one of those critical about the strike, and i was not spared. My argument then was that ASUU should not consider itself as the only body involved in the fight for a better educational system, there is ASUP and evem Colleges of Education. It therefore should not pretend to be doing that. Have my views changed? Absolutely no! As a matter of fact, i have been vindicated. This is because all those who were the arrow heads and pro ASUU, turned out to be University students who were mainly fighting for themselves and nothing more. The media has also gone to sleep not minding the fact that our polytechnics have been closed down for a few months shy of one year. This attitude has been a major problem in Nigeria, people believe that as long as they are not direclty affected, then they dont give a damn! How can progress not elude us as a people? The period of ASUP strike put together is more than 250 days, yet we see nothing wrong. I often wonder what kind of people we are. If the government is not serious about rescuing and preserving our educational system, cant we as a people take charge? Why is ASUU quiet about the ongoing ASUP strike? Are they not supposed to be working together for a better educational system for our children? If there is ever a government that has paid lip service to education, then it is this government. To my knowledge this is the first time an association will go on strike and resume, and less than three months after, still go on strike and it will last this long. The Minister of Education seems to be preoccupied with the political imbrioglo in His home State of Rivers, than with the assignment which he owes Nigerians. One therefore wonders if he has not shown himself worthy of a sack, considering how he has handled issues. I dont think the former Minister of Education, Professor Ruqaya Rufai was this reckless before she was sacked. ASUP should also note that its continuous senseless and hardline stance is not helping issues; in fact, it is aggravating them. You cannot claim to be fighting for the students when events show otherwise. Without students, there will be no ASUP nor ASUU. Therefore the interest of the students must be promoted and guarded with jealousy. The only way we can do this, is to end this ASUP strike now, and ensure that strikes are completely eradicated from our higher institutions. There are bettter ways to fight for a cause, than embarking on endless strikes. That is dependent ofcourse on how responsible government is. I am not unmindful of the fact that Colleges of Education have also caught the strike fever. Well, we are watching; if ASUP has lasted this long and there seems to be no end in sight, then when do we think issues affecting Colleges of Education would be resolved? Frank Ijege @foijege on twitter
Posted on: Fri, 07 Mar 2014 12:10:11 +0000
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