Not considering the fact that they are not affected by the ongoing
strike, the students of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) have
appealed to both the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU) to consider the plights of Nigerian students and
call off the over three months’ old industrial action.
Lecturers across 61 Nigerian public universities have been on strike
since July 1 over the failure of the Federal Government to honour the
agreement it reached with ASUU in 2009.
UNILORIN students, who recently resumed for the 2013/14 academic
session, lamented that they are not happy seeing their colleagues from
other schools staying at home while they are in school receiving
lectures.
Speaking with Campusbeats, the students bemoaned the attitude of the
Federal Government towards education in the country, while urging them
to return to the negotiation table with the striking lecturers to
discuss ways of ending the strike as soon as possible.
“The Federal Government seems to care less about the plights of
Nigerian students. I passionately appeal to them and ASUU to resume
negotiations and find ways to end this embarrassing strike,’’ said
Sirajdeen Alabede, a 400-level Geography and Environmental Management
student of the school.
Alarape Wasiu, a 400-level student at the Department of Agricultural
Science, stressed that no nation can develop with a retrogressive and
decayed education system, saying that education remains the only viable
option to a secure and egalitarian society.
“I am not happy seeing my friends in other schools staying hopelessly
at home. A nation that fails to educate its people will remain unsafe
and unsecure. The Federal Government should please meet the demands of
ASUU for the betterment of our education and for the good of the
country,’’ he urged.
A 300-level student at the Faculty of Law, who preffered anonymity,
said that the president should be reminded that he was once an ASUU
member before politics took him away from the classroom. “In a country
that has a former university lecturer as the president and education
still receives poor attention, then one can safely say that the country
is in danger.’’
She, however, implored the Federal Government to honour the
agreements she reached with ASUU in the interests of Nigerian students,
who have always been the victims of the incessant strikes.
Other students of the university, who also had a chat with
Campusbeats appealed to the Federal Government to meet the lecturers’
demands on time so that students can return to class.
The University of Ilorin have been widely acknowledged for its uninterrupted academic calendar over the years.
HAMEED MURITALA
(4OO-level, Mass Communication, UNILORIN)
(4OO-level, Mass Communication, UNILORIN)
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