Some educationists have decried the current industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, when Nigeria is battling high rate of crime among youths.
They pointed out that the current ASUU strike could push youths into vices like fraud, rituals, amongst others.
Lately, youths have been engaging more in vices like Yahoo Yahoo, which has increased the rate of ritual killings across the country.
Recall that ASUU, a few days ago, declared a one-month nationwide strike following the Federal Government’s inability to implement previous agreements.
The National President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke said the strike was to enable the Federal Government take action with regards to the agreement.
Osodeke warned that the union would embark on an indefinite strike if their demands are not met within one month.
The battle of wits between the ASUU and the Federal Government is hinged on the revitalization of public universities, earned academic allowances, University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS), promotion arrears, implementation of the renegotiated 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement and discrepancies in the implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system (IPPIS).
While ASUU has consistently criticized the government for breaching previous negotiations and agreements, the latter has accused ASUU of forcing it to enter into such a pact under duress.
Speaking with DAILY POST on the issue, a Benue State Teaching Service Board staff, Ogli Adamu, warned that the society is at the receiving end of the persistent strike.
Adamu stressed that students who are out of school due to strikes could easily be lured into joining bad gangs since they are idle.
He urged the government to meet the demands of ASUU and fund education adequately in Nigeria.
According to Adamu, the continuous industrial actions by lecturers would affect the quality of education in the country.
He said: “ASUU strike will increase the rate of insecurity in the country because when these youths are at home, they can be easily lured into joining one gang or the other since they are idle. If they are engaged, they would have less time to take up bad vices. This ASUU strike will seriously increase insecurity.
“But on the other hand, the government has refused to meet their part of agreement since 2009; they only released N30bn for ASUU’s allowance, which is not good. This issue has been lingering since 2009 till now. Why not settle them?
“The government has its part to play but it is not doing it. Since 2009, the same issue has been reccurring, yet they have the money to settle these lecturers; what they are demanding is not much.
“If strikes continue, it will affect the standard of education in the long run, and that is where the issue lies because universities would not graduate students within the stipulated time. Those meant to go for Industrial attachment can’t, and there would be a backlog of graduates intended to embark on youth service.
“So, strikes would affect the standard of education because upon resumption, lecturers would start rushing to complete the semester, which should not be. Due to the rush, students are not properly taught.
“But, if the government meets ASUU’s demands, the strike will not persist. I will appeal to the government to settle ASUU so these persistent strikes will stop. ASUU won’t suffer much, but the student and the society will. They can pay that money in bits. From Jonathan’s administration till now yet they can’t settle this issue? The government should fund education properly.”
Corroborating Adamu’s remark, a lecturer with the Colleague of Education Katsina Ala, Alu Tervershima, said though ASUU’s demands are legitimate, the effect of the industrial action was severe on the society.
Tervershima noted that the strike would push youths into vices like kidnapping, robbery, cultism, Yahoo Yahoo, and the rest
