President Muhammadu Buhari has called on the striking university lecturers to end the prolonged strike which has left students at home for months, telling leaders of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) that enough is enough.
The president stated this in Daura, Katsina State yesterday urging the lecturers to reconsider their position on the continued strike, expressing worry that strike period is seriously affecting the educational system and future development of the country.
Meanwhile, Thursday, 14 July, 2022 will make it five months since government university classrooms have been shut.
While addressing the All Progressives Congress (APC) legislators and political leaders at his residence during Sallah holiday, Buhari noted that the strike had already taken a toll on the psychology of parents, students and other stakeholders throwing up many moral issues that already beg for attention.
In the meantime, the president stated that the government understands their position, however negotiations should continue with students in lecture halls.
“The future of the country rests on the quality of educational institutions and education.
“We hope that ASUU will sympathise with the people on the prolonged strike. Truly, enough is enough for keeping students at home. Don’t hurt the next generation for goodness sake,” he said.
The president called on all well meaning Nigerians, particularly those close to the leaders and members of the association, to intervene in persuading the lecturers to reconsider their position, and the ripple effect on an entire generation and the nation.
President Buhari said students from Nigerian universities will be faced with the challenge of competing with others in a highly connected and technology-driven work space, and keeping them at home only deprives them of time, skill and opportunities to be relevant on the global stage.
“Colonial type of education was geared towards producing workers in government. Those jobs are no longer there. Our young people should get education to prepare them for self-employment. Now education is for the sake of education.
“Through technology we are much more efficient. We should encourage our children to get education, not only to look for government jobs,” he added.
Speaking to the governors, President Buhari said resources should be channeled more into building infrastructure and operations of the health and educational sector, not to expand the bureaucracy to create job opportunities.
“By this time next year, I would have made the most out of the two terms, and the remaining months I will do my best,” he noted.
President Buhari therefore urged those in political positions and places of privilege to be mindful in helping the many Nigerians that are looking for opportunities.
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