ASUU strike: Parents call for quick FG intervention

Some parents in Ilorin have called on the Federal Government to speedily intervene and resolve the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU).

The parents, who spoke with our reporter in Ilorin on Thursday, expressed worry over the constant strikes embarked upon by the university lecturers’ union.

One of them, Mrs Ronke Idowu, said that the rampant strikes in the country’s universities had been quite worrisome, as the students were now forced to become idle and lazy.

“There is no stability in the academic calendar of the universities. The idle students can be easily lured into criminal acts, as they spend a larger part of the year doing nothing,’’ she said.

Another parent, Mr Kayode Olarotimi, said that constant and protracted lecturers’ strikes had marred the country’s university system, as continuous breaks in the learning process had negatively affected the students.

“There is no enough time for students to settle into the system because our universities now operate fluctuating and unstable academic calendars.

“So, in that situation, how do you expect the students to take education serious?’’ he asked.

However, Mr Yusuf Abdulrahman, another concerned parent, appealed to the Federal Government to listen to the demands of ASUU and address all the issues which the lecturers raised.

“The Federal Government should give them what they want for the sake of our children. It is sad to note that education is dying gradually in the country,’’ he said.

It was reported that the National President of ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, on Nov. 5 announced the commencement of an indefinite lecturers’ strike in all federal and state universities across the country.