If nothing is done to terminate the strike in the next few days, Sunday Asefon, the president of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), has indicated that the association’s protest over the recent strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will be worse than the EndSARS movement.
Asefon made the remarks at a meeting with Adamu Adamu, the Minister of Education, in Abuja on Monday.
Recall that the minister, who had earlier walked out on the students on Monday morning over what he reportedly described as rude conduct by student leaders, later met with the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) at the National Universities Commission’s headquarters, according to THE WITNESS (NUC).
He reassured the demonstrators that the ASUU members who were on strike will soon return to the classrooms.
Ben Goong, the ministry’s director of press, said in a short statement late Monday night that the ongoing bargaining process has been constructive “and is expected to lead to a rapid return of the striking teachers to lectures.”
“Education Minister Adamu Adamu met with NANS officials in Abuja in an effort to de-escalate tensions over the ongoing ASUU strike,” the statement reads. Academic activities on our campuses are expected to resume as a result of the process.”
The director, on the other hand, did not provide the specifics of the meeting with the student leaders.
Channels Television footage of the minister’s walk-out on the students had previously appeared on the internet, prompting many Nigerians to criticize Mr Adamu for his “bad conduct.”
Sunday Asefon, the NANS president, was claimed to have accused the minister of being uncaring about the situation of Nigerian students, and the minister was said to have voiced discontent with the style and manner in which he was spoken to.
Mr Asefon, while addressing the minister on Monday, had said: “The key issue ASUU has continued to hammer on is the revitalisation of our institutions, which is important for every student to key into. But you can’t talk about revitalizing our school without including Nigerian students on the negotiating committee.
Channels Television footage of the minister’s walk-out on the kids had previously appeared on the internet, prompting many Nigerians to criticize Mr Adamu for his “bad conduct.”
Sunday Asefon, the NANS president, was claimed to have accused the minister of being uncaring about the situation of Nigerian students, and the minister was said to have voiced discontent with the style and manner in which he was spoken to.
Mr Asefon, while addressing the minister on Monday, had said: “The key issue ASUU has continued to hammer on is the revitalisation of our institutions, which is important for every student to key into. But you can’t talk about revitalizing our school without including Nigerian students on the negotiating committee.
“Nigerian students are interested in serving on this committee. We’d like to know exactly what’s going on between the ASUU and the federal government… We’ve had enough of our education sector’s never-ending strike.
“We saw it on social media, Honourable Minister: you celebrated your son’s graduation from a university outside of this country. Our parents do not have the financial means to take us abroad. But let us take pleasure in what we have paid for. We want proper educational funding in this country.
“If our schools are not open, this will not be the last protest. This is not a threat – when we said we would be coming out, here we are. Today, Niger road is blocked, Benue is blocked, Adamawa is blocked. If care is not taken, this will be worse than EndSARS.”
The minister reportedly told the protesting students that the only thing worth noting in the points expressed was the inclusion of students in the bargaining process, indicating that he was irritated by the issues raised.
“You should have met your lecturers there instead of coming here. Perhaps the only point you make that is worth mentioning is that you stated that students should be part in this, which I believe is a wonderful idea. And it’s the only thing I’m going to take away from what you’ve said here,” the minister reportedly stated as he walked out of his meeting room with them.”
The minister was joined at the meeting by Abdulrasheed Abubakar, the executive secretary of NUC, and Is-haq Oloyede, the registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), among other officials from the education ministry’s agencies.
“He stated that the 2009 FGN-ASUU deal was not sustainable,” he continued, “but that a new viable agreement is being finalized for signature by both parties.”
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) began a four-week warning strike on February 14 and is now in its third week, with no end in sight.
ASUU and the government delegation, on the other hand, were set to meet later Tuesday to resume the conciliation talks.