By Oladele Ogunsola, Ibadan
Respite may still be far away for students of public universities across the country currently on compulsory holiday occasioned by the ongoing national strike embarked upon by their teachers under the aegis of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)
as the union’s President, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi has charged striking lecturers to brace up for a long strike.
In a Strike Bulletin No ‘5’ sent to all members of the union by Prof. Ogunyemi, a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent in Ibadan, he enjoined his members “to be on the watch and prepare for a long drawn- out struggle to salvage the University System”.
The union had embarked on a nationwide strike over unfulfilled past agreements by government and under-funding of education since last month and none of the meetings held so far by all the parties involved had yielded favourable result for quick resolve of the dispute.
ASUU boss in the bulletin charged members to remain steadfast “and resolute in the face of intimidation or antics employed by government through Vice chancellors and Governing councils to undermine the ongoing struggle”.
He disclosed that government “is yet to change its ‘keep them talking style’ and stance as all the meetings held so far with the Minister of Education are yet to resolve any of the demands of ASUU”.
Meanwhile, while speaking after their Zonal Meeting held at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, the ASUU Chairman, University of Ibadan, Dr. Deji Omole said Ibadan Zone of the union had been fully mobilized with her members to ensure the reason for the strike gets actualized.
The UI ASUU boss noted that “it is regrettable that the Federal Government which has not put anything on the table for revitalizing the comatose education sector is busy mobilising funds and resources for re-election . Omole appealed to parents not to mortgage the future of their children by following politicians instead of fighting for proper and adequate funding of public education.
