Our Education Is At Stake

As a student, I am absolutely disappointed in the present administration so is every positive and progressive mind. Prior to the general election, some years back, our expectations and thoughts for this government were high as mountains and pure as honey. No one ever thought this government would fail us.

Expectations are continually unmet. Thoughts are further pained. PMB’s administration is failing us already, no doubt. As a student in one of the Federal universities in Nigeria, I am punched with severe sufferings, so are my colleagues in the same shoes. The most painful aspect is that we are paying for what we did not buy. In Nigeria of today, the educational sector is seriously suffering. The Union of University Lecturers, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is rendering their support to help it work better but the Federal government is wrecking it.

Back to the main point, the ASUU strike is now eight months old. And sincerely, ASUU’s demands are clear as water for all to see and justify. Apart from the coronavirus pandemic that uncovered the incompetence of the government in many factors, the current leadership of the country has shown their ineptitude to deliver this country from the brinks of collapse. Not only in education but in all other sectors. We sincerely thank the revealer of our government’s incapabilities.

For more than six months, the government that promises to address youth empowerment refused to inform negotiations between itself and ASUU. What a sad development! Only when #EndSARS was introduced that the government realised the importance of negotiating with the union.

With this act, it can be easily deduced that nothing good should be expected from the side of the government in making Nigerian universities great again. The general aphorism which illustrated that education is the bedrock of any development in a given society, in any capacity, is a total lie in the ears of this government. So far this is established, how can the government that has contributed negatively and displayed a rigorous disregard with intellectualism can make actually committed to youth empowerment and development? This is a great shame to the country before the developing nations of the world.

I urge ASUU to be steadfast in their struggle and remain firm on their demands. They should not give space for comprising in any sort. As students, we want this year’s strike should be the last lap of strike action in Nigeria Educational system. It would be a shame on ASUU if the strike, after it has ended, exists in the university system. At this period, students are also to understand better and support their lecturers. Any agitations should be at the end after the battle would have been won by ASUU. Blackmailing will come from any forms to derail the commitments of our lecturers, we should shun that. Our deaf ears, from concocted, doctored and cooked claims should be adequately established.

This opinion story has been published on CAMPUS REPORTER with very minimal editing to preserve the original voice of the author. CAMPUS REPORTER does not bear any responsibility for the contents of this story, all views belong to the author.