Some students have called on the Federal Government to meet the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) over its lingering strike.
The students, who spoke in Abuja on Tuesday, said meeting their demands would bring an end to the lecturers’ ongoing strike.
They said the incessant industrial action was inappropriate for the education sector, adding that, it had stalled the academic performance and progress of many students.
One of the students, Victory Adebowale, said the extension of the ongoing strike was disheartening, saying it has lasted for too long and has affected Nigerian students negatively.
According to him, the Federal Government and ASUU have had enough negotiations within the last five months, adding that the extension would further subject students to depression.
Adebowale said embarking on strike tended to keep students in school for more than the supposed estimated period of the academic session.
“Our house rent expires during the strike and most landlords do not care, some students might lose interest in academic activities following the “Yahoo Yahoo” trend which is now rampant in society.
“They might at the end of the day, see schooling as a waste of time and that schooling is a scam” he said.
On her part, Ruth Essanse said she was not affected by the ongoing strike as it came during her industrial attachment programme.
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She said the extension of the strike by the union was to give the government and ASUU enough time to deliberate on possible ways of solving the issues of the strike.
Essanse, however, urged the Federal Government to sign the 2009 renegotiated agreement aimed at improving universities’ teaching and learning outcomes, saying the ongoing strike was due to lack of attention on the universities.
Another student, James Mutudi, said extending the industrial action by the university lecturers was to draw the attention of stakeholders and the Federal Government in meeting the needs of ASUU.
Mutudi said the industrial action has also affected both students and lecturers, adding that many lecturers have resolved to do a menial job to provide for their families.
He, however, enjoined other students to use the strike period for skills acquisition or business, rather than staying idle.
Hope Opomu, another student, said the reason for the extension was because the Federal Government was being adamant in meeting the demands of ASUU.
“I won’t blame ASUU for extending the ongoing strike by four weeks if their demands were not meant,” she said.
Opomu added that the strike was extended to give the government time to pay salaries and also meet other demands of ASUU, adding that the extension was to the detriment of students’ future.
She added that the strike was a major setback to academic activities as it hindered students from graduating at the speculated time.
Opomu advised students to endure and join hands together by protesting and ensuring that the Federal Government met the demands of ASUU.
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