How ASUU strike is affecting Nigeria’s educational sector by creating even more distrust.
Obtaining a university degree is seen as a significant accomplishment because it is at this level that the highest level of academic proficiency is achieved.
In Nigeria, obtaining a university degree is a tremendous honor, especially considering issues such as poverty that can prohibit one from reaching such heights.
The thrill of receiving a university diploma is tainted by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) ongoing strike actions.
ASUU has fought for better salaries and working conditions for academics at both federal and state institutions since the 1980s. However, the group has been unable to negotiate a clear and concrete agreement with the Nigerian government, forcing it to resort to periodic strikes to press for its demands to be implemented.
ASUU has gone on more than 20 strikes since its establishment, including the present one, which has been continuing since February 14, 2022.
The government, led by the Federal Ministry of Labour, and ASUU sit down at the negotiating table to try to reach an agreement, but the process drags on with no obvious light at the end of the tunnel.
The scenario has become more problematic as Labour Minister Chris Ngige instructed ASUU to apply pressure on the Federal Ministry of Education rather than his own ministry, which is limited in its ability to handle the situation.
“I have to use the labor instruments at my disposal as a conciliator.” The Federal Ministry of Education’s officials seems unconcerned about the strike. There are some things that are beyond my control. In a statement released on Tuesday, Ngige stated, “I am not the Minister of Education.”
“I can’t go to the Minister of Education and tell him how to operate his department.” But I advised ASUU that if you want this to move forward, you should attack them at the Federal Ministry of Education. There are a variety of options.”
While ASUU is right to advocate for its goals, academic work is no easy task and is given top priority in industrialized countries since the university system is a source of economic growth and progress through research. However, it is regrettable that ASUU and the Nigerian government have never been able to achieve an agreement.
Students are on the receiving end of all of this since their academic interests and ambitions are compromised by their professors’ frequent strike actions. This is not only a negative sign for the university system, but it also kills students’ enthusiasm for their studies.
The world is changing at a breakneck speed, and technology is dominating daily life. Strike-related academic setbacks are unappealing and undermine the educational system’s legitimacy.
With poverty on the rise across the country, young people are seeking easy ways to get money rather than working hard for it. The Nigerian educational system is currently being questioned to see if it still has any worth in today’s world. Reading, learning, and research are all on the decline.
It’s easy to see why the majority of young Nigerians find it difficult to find work and live a fulfilling life as adults after completing their degrees.
This helps to explain why, rather than pursuing university education and becoming professionals, many young people turn to illegal gambling, internet fraud, hard drug sales, s#x and human trafficking, and other criminal activities in order to feel relevant in their communities.
This has now become endemic, with daily reports of the aforementioned vices. It has created a severe societal issue for the administration to address in the run-up to the national elections next year and beyond.
Perhaps the situation would not be as it is today if ASUU and the government had struck a good and permanent deal years ago. With no hint of a solution in sight, the future of Nigeria’s education sector and children could be jeopardized.
