The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has explained that Nigerian universities may not be reopened even if the federal government orders the resumption of all schools amidst the coronavirus pandemic.


The president of the union, Biodun Ogunyemi, in a telephone interview with PREMIUM TIMES, on Sunday, also clarified his position on the reports that the union urged the government not to reopen schools until 2021.



The government on March 19 ordered the closure of all tertiary, secondary and primary schools nationwide over the outbreak of the deadly virus in the country.



A few days after the government’s directive, ASUU commenced an indefinite strike, which is still on.



The union commenced the strike over the federal government’s decision to withhold the salaries of its members who defied the order of government to enrol in the Integrated Personnel and Payroll System (IPPIS).



While the federal government has now issued a guideline for resumption dates for final year students in primary and secondary schools, nothing has been said about tertiary institutions.



Mr Ogunyemi while speaking with our correspondent said, “First, we did not say schools should not be reopened until 2021. We only advised that schools be reopened anytime it is considered safe for our children.”



“They have brought out guidelines and conditions for school resumption, they must now supervise and ensure that those conditions are met. Beyond formulating a policy, they must see to its implementation. So, we are saying it is not just a matter of putting things on papers but implementation from primary schools to tertiary institutions”.



Speaking further, Mr Ogunyemi said even if the government eventually reopens schools, it has nothing to do with universities battling with a series of crisis.


“Talking of universities, it should be noted that the crises are beyond COVID-19. There are fundamental crises that will make universities reopening longer and impossible for now. We had long told government our position and until they meet necessary conditions, universities are not resuming even after COVID”.



“There are outstanding issues and government is not ready to fix our universities and provide enabling learning environment. For instance, we are talking about revitalisation… if our institutions are well equipped, there is no reason why coronavirus should stop academic activities.



“You cannot talk about social distancing in universities without talking about additional lecture rooms. So, we have two crisis delaying resumption. The health crisis and the refusal of government to make our universities standard,” he said.



Mr Ogunyemi urged the government to pay as much attention to education as it is paying to health.



“Government should not pay attention to health sector and neglect education sector. If the could raise taskforce to look into COVID-19, they should do so to address the challenges of education sector which include revitalisation funds for universities so that our institutions can be up to standard.”



In the same view, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and some other students who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES have expressed their displeasure over the long closure of Nigerian institutions.


In a statement by its Zone D coordinator, Kowe Amos, NANS said the refusal of authorities to take proactive steps shows a “lack of political will linked to years of unseriousness and recklessness on the part of our political office holders.”



“However, it must be made known that at the receiving end of this indecisiveness are students that are left idle at home with nothing worthwhile being done to ensure that students resume to classes.”



Should the federal government eventually ask schools to resume, university administrators will comply, but Mr Ogunyemi’s explanation indicates the lecturers will not be resuming classes until ASUU’s concerns are addressed.

Lukaku12:
I support ASUU, This year is already somehow.

School should resume January,, don't know where we are rushing to. Peeps clamouring for school is not as though they truly love schooling or education.
It is people like u that grow up and also reason like this ASUU president..we are the problem of our country. If u don like or dont value or have friends who don't like school then do not generalise cos it's annoying..do u know what students are going through being at home?? Because u have comfort at home doesn't me we all do

chatinent:
I concur with the part that the FG needs to focus primarily on both the health and education sector respectively. But coming to think of it, how many of their children school home? A very little percent if any at all: so why will they care? They are more concerned in using (as they say) billions in renovating few offices in Aso Rock and the National Assembly, cutting grasses, increasing the take-home amounts of the legislatures and siphoning more of the national cake and you ask them to stop? It's a 'cannot can' for them. More to that is even you Biodun are majorly concerned on your selfish gains; stop painting it to look like you care about us or our children.

meetme01:


We both know that would not happen anytime soon. This is Nigeria and not Gabon or UK.

ASUU is just playing to the gallery and shooting herself in the foot. Why can't they implement the policy govt is putting on board. I think researchers are meant to solve problems. We know ourselves and our country, we should not put the student at risk and at they same time jeopardize their future. It's two different things.

ASUU is selfish and ignorant. All they want is money. They are angry with trillions of naira siphoned without them having share of ways to embezzle.

You can see they are no more agitating for non-inclusion into IPPIS .All they are after now is frivolous excuses. Oyo State should be yardstick for measuring if our schools are now conducive for learning and not Kenya.

ASUU is a confused entity. Instead of beating around the bush, they should come out plain with intellectual agitation and not these flimsy excuses. Shioor.

oscarsam:
Most times, I keep wondering how this man became ASUU chairman.
ASUU and FG has some pending issues regarding lecturers system of payment whereby FG introduced IPPIS. ASUU keeps kicking against this method, even after knowing FG has no intentions of changing their mind, they still moved ahead to go on strike.

Now students have spent over 4months at home due to both ASUU strike and Covid 19 lockdown.
We are happy FG has finally announced plans for safe reopening of schools, only for this Selfish man to talk of revitalization of Universities.

let's forget about how much our leaders has siphoned from the national account, which country on its brink of biggest recession for the past 40yrs calls of revitalization of Universities.

it's quite simple, sack ASUU chairman, retire any Professor that tends to back him up, let students resume school biko.
our brain don knock already.

Stupid and Nonsense ASUU.

Godgood3:
I support ASUU, This year is already somehow.

School should resume January,, don't know where we are rushing to. Peeps clamouring for school is not as though they truly love schooling or education.

AkwaIbomMan:
does FG have the right to sack ASUU chairman?
if yes then what are they waiting for all these while.