As the National Executive Council, NEC, of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, meets to decide on the industrial action, parents, under the auspices of the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria, NAPTAN, have stated that they only expect reports that would put an end to the ongoing strike by members of the union.
Alhaji Haruna Danjuma, National President of NAPTAN, expressed hope that the meeting will result in an end to the standoff between the union and the government in an interview with Vanguard on Sunday.
The National President of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Comtade Sunday Asefon, also spoke with our correspondent and opined that if lecturers are truly fighting for students, they should call off the strike.
“Our kids have stayed home from school for too long. We are not pleased with that as parents. My anticipation, as well as the expectations of other parents, is that the strike will be called off and that the government and the union will meet to resolve issues and make progress.
“This is not a time to apportion blame, but to find the way out of this logjam. We need to get our public universities running again,” Danjuma said.
Danjuma continued, “Our expectation is that the strike be suspended. They should have a rethink. If they are actually fighting for students’ welfare and issues relating to students, enough is enough. Let them suspend the strike.
“Moreover, the issue of their salaries that are not yet paid should not debar them from calling off the action. That one can be sorted out when they resume work. This is not the first time the government would threaten to invoke “No work, no pay,” but it has always paid in the end. The future of Nigerian students is at stake here,” he added.
