Our educational sector is in tatters. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike is only a pointer to that fact.
The sector needs holistic reform. In the last global rankings of universities, the best Nigerian University was in the 601st position, 200 places behind a Gambian university and 400 places behind a South African university. So much for being the giant of Africa!
We do not have a deluge of inventions in our universities. We are not making credible technological advancements. They say ‘necessity is the mother of invention’ but we just keep importing.
For a government that promised change, ASUU strike should not be happening at this time. Or what is it changing exactly?
Admittedly, the reason ASUU is on strike is the non-implementation of a 2009 agreement. After ASUU’s last warning strike, the Federal Government set up a committee to renegotiate the agreement. But the committee has been unable to do this for several months now. And ASUU has gone on another strike.
We cannot keep having ASUU strikes and disruptions of the academic calendar. We cannot keep having four-year courses running into six years. Aside from ending the current strike, the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration has to find a way to institutionalise swift response by the government in order to prevent ASUU from going on strikes in future.
The administration should bring real change to the education sector. Let’s have an educational system that will make Nigeria great.
Adeyemi Abiodun
Ilorin, Kwara State
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