Caught in the middle: ASUU versus FG

There is a popular saying that when two elephants fight the grass suffers- such is the case of students who are constantly caught between the never-ending brawl between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government of Nigeria. ASUU recently issued a 21-day ultimatum to the federal government to implement the agreement […]

There is a popular saying that when two elephants fight the grass suffers- such is the case of students who are constantly caught between the never-ending brawl between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government of Nigeria. ASUU recently issued a 21-day ultimatum to the federal government to implement the agreement they had reached in 2020 following the last strike which lasted for nine months, an action to which Nigerian students suffered greatly as they are just completing the 2019/2020 session in 2021.

From 1999 to 2020, ASUU has gone on strike for a total of 50 months. The federal government and ASUU are always in constant conflict concerning unpaid salaries, low salaries, and poor working conditions of the union’s members. Nigerian students always account for “X” number of years in addition to their normal study years due to incessant strikes. The effect of this constant action is one of the main reasons for the poor quality of education in the country.

Students are constantly depressed and lethargic due to the constant strike action and uncertainty concerning the progress of their education. They are left confused on whether to get menial jobs or wait till the strike is over. The recent 2020 strike lasted for nine months and this created a whole lot of confusion in the minds of students not to mention the effect it had on them when the strike was called off. Upon resumption, most students had lost the motivation to study and they struggled to remember the essence of education. On the other hand, lecturers bombarded the students with materials with little or no time for explanations as the academic year had already been wasted. This contributed to the lethargy of the students and the few students that were still motivated struggled to assimilate. Ultimately this led to poor performances in examinations.

Another adverse effect of this constant strike is that it leaves students idle for prolonged periods.  While some seek internship opportunities and some others engage in all sorts of criminal activities. These activities create adverse effects on society by increasing the rate of insecurity in the country.

The federal government should take into consideration the plight of the students by ensuring high quality in all universities. This is achievable if the government meets its end of the bargain as they have agreed with ASUU. They should ensure proper working conditions for the members of the union as well as ensure proper remuneration for them as this is one of the major causes of the incessant strike.

Furthermore, the budget allocation to the education sector should be increased as the sector is one of the most important and its quality affects other sectors.

ASUU on the other hand should also devise other effective means through which they can air their grievances as the continuous strike seems to prove counterproductive. The Union can advise the federal government on measures and policies that can help both parties whilst keeping the interest of the student’s priority.

Incessant strikes will continue to have adverse effects on the students as it is not the best tool for the union to communicate its grievances. Government should also place priority on the quality of education in Nigerian universities by ensuring that the demands of the academic staff are met and the interest of the students take priority.

Oluwatofunmi Oladipupo-George is a Corporate Communications Executive at Worktainment Limited.