The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU has highlighted two requirements from the Nigerian government before it ends the ongoing strike.
The ongoing strike in universities has deprived students of returning to academic activities since March despite the reopening of all schools by the Federal Government.
The National President of ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, speaking in an interview with Newspot on Tuesday said the ongoing strike is not for selfish reasons but majorly for the welfare of students.
According to him, the government cannot continue to watch the lecture halls, hostels in the universities decay and not do anything about it, thereby depriving the students of quality education.
He added that schools would not reopen until the government meets two conditions which are the payment of lecturers salaries and a standard environment for students.”
Ogunyemi further appealed to students to be patient with ASUU, adding that every action by the body is to enable students be proud of their certificates and reposition universities globally.
Ogunyemi said: “The ongoing strike will continue and school will not reopen until the government provides good lecture halls, equipment for the students and also pay salaries of lecturers.
“We also have children who are students in these schools; everything ASUU is doing is about students and Nigeria. If we have a good education, students will be proud of their certificates and our universities will be able to reckon with globally.
“ASUU is not selfish; we are struggling in the course of defending quality education and repositioning our universities for a global reckoning. So our students understand that we want them to go back to better hostels, lecture halls, and laboratories all this cannot happen if the government continues to ignore the rot and decay in the universities.
“We cannot have well-motivated lecturers if the government continues to deny them their rights and entitlement.
These two things are critical before schools can reopen; the welfare of lecturers and the working environment for students.”
When asked if the universities would reopen this year, the ASUU president added “The government would answer when the universities will open, we did not close the university.
“We cannot go back on an empty stomach, would you advise your brother to do that?
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