The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and other students groups on Tuesday urged President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene and address the ongoing industrial action in the nation’s universities.
The NANS Vice President in the South-West, Oladimeji Adesoji, made the call, while leading other students, along with Adeyinka Adewole, the Students’ Union President, University of Ibadan, on peaceful protest round major roads in the state capital.
The peaceful protest was against the continue closure of their schools following the indefinite strike embarked upon by their lecturers.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the protesters, who initially converged at the University of Ibadan main gate at exactly 8.00 a.m, later marched round the major roads leading to the Federal Secretariat, causing gridlock.
At the Secretariat, NAN reports that the protesting students had insisted on entering the premises and vowed to stay there till the close of work.
However, some directors at the Secretariat later pacified the students to stay outside the gate, assuring them that their grievances would be forwarded to the appropriate authorities.
NAN reports that the protesters were drawn from all the public tertiary institutions in the state.
Addressing the students, Adesoji pleaded with the Federal Government to speed up actions toward resolving the lingering crisis between it and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which started on Feb.14.
He said that this became imperative because Nigerian students were already frustrated with the ugly development in the nation’s education sector.
Adesoji said: “We embarked on this peaceful protest based on the lingering industrial action embarked on by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) which started on Feb.14.
“Initially, we were using social media platforms to make our voices to be heard.
“For over three months now, students have been idle and an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.
“We can’t leave millions of students idle for that long and you expect peace and progress in the country.”
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In his comments, Adewole pleaded with the President to address the situation bedevilling the education sector and end the recurring ASUU’s strike.
“We want the President to come out today and address us as a father and a parent, that is our first demand.
“Also, the Federal Government should increase the budgetary allocation to education to meet the UNESCO’s standard, which is 26 per cent.
“There should be frequent dialogue with ASUU, which is a key stakeholder in the Nigerian educational system at the tertiary level, so as to identify the gaps in the system,” he said.
The union leader said that students would continue to stage peaceful protests until the government meets the ASUU’s demand it entered into with them in 2009.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Victor Olojede, Special Adviser to Oyo State Governor on Students’ Affairs, said that Federal Government should come to terms with ASUU in ensuring that students return to the classrooms.
Also, Qudri Adeleke, NANS Chairman in Oyo State, said that expectation of students was permanent end to the recurring ASUU’s strike.(NAN)
