Varsities strike to end next week as govt, ASUU sign MoU
After more than five months, university teachers will return to classrooms next week.
Yesterday, the Federal Government and
the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) signed a Memorandum of
Understanding on the decisions reached during the 13-hour meeting with
President Goodluck Jonathan.
The government which initially said it
would not sign an MoU with the union which it ordered to return to work
or be sacked ate the humble pie.
Supervising Minister of Education
Nyesom Wike signed on behalf of the government, National Universities
Commission (NUC) Executive Secretary Prof. Julius Okojie signed on
behalf of the management. Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President
Abdulwaheed Omar and the permanent secretary of the Ministry of
Education also signed.
Wike said all contending issues between ASUU and the Federal Government have been resolved to the satisfaction of the parties.
The minister said: “Today is not just
historic; it is one of the happiest days of my life since I became the
Supervising Minister of Education. As you are all aware, ASUU has been
on strike for well over five months on account of their resolve to bring
about a new lease of life to all public universities.
”Following Mr. President’s personal
intervention in the marathon meeting he held on 4th November, 2013 with
the Executive of ASUU and other Labour Union leaders where all residual
issues were resolved, Nigerians from all walks of life had expressed
optimism that the strike would soon be called off. Unfortunately and
sadly too, this was not to be due to ASUU’s insistence that the Federal
Government must take further practical steps to show good faith and
commitment to the implementation of the agreement.
”As a responsible and responsive
government we have a duty to restore normalcy to our University system
so that our children can resume classes and pursue their educational
careers. Consequently, the Vice-Chancellors of Federal Universities were
directed to immediately reopen the Universities for academic
activities, while the minor discrepancies are sorted out.
”Today, I am very pleased to announce
that all contending issues between ASUU and the Federal Government have
been resolved to the satisfaction of the parties. Let me emphasise that
we recognise and appreciate ASUU’s patriotic role and commitment towards
ensuring that our Universities are well-funded, resourced and run like
their counterpart in other parts of the world. Thus, we are all partners
in progress and there is no victor; no vanquished in the struggle of
this nature for as long as our goals remain noble, not actuated by
parochial interests, and targeted at moving our nation forward.
“Let me reiterate that the Federal
Government is serious about revitalising all our universities and will
continue to fund them as a matter of priority.”
ASUU President Fagge said: “I thank all
stakeholders for ensuring that we come this far. It is important to
acknowledge the intervention of President Goodluck Jonathan. He made it
possible that we could come this far. What we had agreed with Mr.
President in that 13 hours meeting had been judiciously documented and
our members presumed that it was going to be documented, we wouldn’t
have wasted time.
”I do not have the power to call off
the strike. It is only our members that can do that. And within one week
our members will meet and decide to call off the strike. We have a
document here which shows that government is committed. And all the
things we demanded for are in the letter. ”Our members are
intellectuals. Since the signing of the 2009 agreement we (ASUU) have
been pursuing government to get that agreement implemented. We succeeded
in getting a portion of the agreement implemented and here we are, we
have lost time about four years.
”But I think it is never too late to
turn a new page and do what is right with our universities. If we ever
think that there is no need to fund the university education then we are
deceiving ourselves. I am convinced that now that we are willing to
turn a new leaf to give our universities the adequate funding so that
they can have all it takes within and outside the country then I want
to assure you that very soon we will be among the best in the world. The
minister has invited us to look at the document and signed it.
”And like Mr. President earlier
directed, we will now take this document to our members. And we are
confident that our members will do the appropriate thing. I am a father
and my children are in Nigerian universities and not in Malaysia, you
can investigate. That is why I am also passionate about ensuring that
our children get high quality education in Nigeria.”
The NLC President said: “The struggle
that ASUU has put up must be seen in the correct perspective that it is a
very selfless struggle because it is a struggle to make sure that
universities have a very conducive environment to learn.
”I am very happy that today we are
coming to a very good conclusion. Nobody has gone on strike because they
just want to go on strike but because of Nigeria.”
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