Mr.
Chima Nnaji, a public affairs analyst, in a television interview has
said that the Minister of Education, Ruqayat Rufai, is not helping the
on-going industrial strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities
(ASUU) and accused of treating the situation in an off-handed manner.
“The
Minister of Education has not being helping matters” by “talking
glibly.” This, he said, is a very cheap way of looking at a very serious
problem: she ought to sit with her team to take a very incisive
analysis of the issues moving forward.”
The
strike action embarked upon by the union is currently in 6th week,
however, students may have to wait some more before an agreement is
reached between the body and the Federal Government.
Mr.
Nnaji said “it appears it’s still a long wait” but added that the
strike may be called off “anything from next week Tuesday, if it is
possible.”
Mr.
Nnaji blamed President Goodluck Jonathan and government officials for
paying unsufficient or no attention to the problems of the education
sector and focusing attention on 2015. It is very unfortunate thing
because “education is the most primary thing government should provide.”
“The ministers, governors, president, all the people in government are geared towards 2015.”
First, government must accept responsibility because “an agreement is an agreement” and must be respected.
The
ASUU strike is happening at a time where there is proliferation of
federal universities but “if you do not prepare the child of today for
tomorrow, there is no future for this country.”
He
addressed the issue of unqualified lecturers and called them to examine
themselves. “How many of them are good enough to teach. What is the
content of their teaching?”Watch Video here
