Gbajabiamila: FG, ASUU Must Begin ‘Critical Conversation’ On Future Of Public Universities

Femi Gbajabiamila, the House of Representatives Speaker, has called on the Federal Government to immediately commence a ‘critical conversation’ with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on the future of Nigerian public universities following the union’s suspension of its 8 months strike on Friday.

Gbajabiamila played an active role in getting the university lecturers to agree to obey last week’s ruling of the Court of Appeal which asked the union to obey an order of the National Industrial Court by suspending their strike.

While noting that the strike was regrettable, the Speaker commended ASUU for calling off the industrial action despite the non-resolution of some of the issues that prompted the strike.

“It is regrettable that this strike action happened in the first place. It is even more unfortunate that it lasted as long as it did. We must make sure it never happens again. Our public universities should be citadels of learning and innovation, where young people discover themselves and reach for the stars. That is not now the case. Changing that requires that we admit certain harsh truths and take radical action.

“The suspension of this strike does not mean all the issues of funding, education standard, and student and staff welfare have been resolved. Therefore, we must not rest on our oars. Instead, let this be a call to action for the government, universities, unions, and citizens to begin the critical conversation about the future of public tertiary education in the country. I assure you that this is an objective the House of Representatives will pursue with dedication and determination,” Gbajabiamila said in a personally signed statement.

He further urged the students who are resuming to “ensure that the disruption to the academic calendar does not deter them from pursuing their ambitions and achieving their best dreams.”

Some of ASUU’s demands that led to the strike include renegotiation of the union’s 2009 agreement with the Federal Government, provision of funding for the revitalization of public universities, payment of earned academic allowances to lecturers, the proliferation of public universities and adoption of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) software for payment of lecturers’ salaries.