The Academic Staff of Universities Union (ASUU) has urged Nigerian students to cooperate with it, as it awaits the Federal Government response to its request.

The ASUU President Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday, August 24, saying its requests are in the interest of the students and the nation.

"Students who are our children and partners in progress should show understanding, what we are asking from the Government is in their interest and the interest of the nation, good hostel accommodation, good classroom blocks that can engender effective learning, laboratories where cutting edge research can be carried out and offices that can drive the process of quality university education.

“So what we are asking of the Government are not baseless things, but those things that in 2012, the Government conducted during a needs assessment survey and found out that there are widespread rot and decay in the university system," Ogunyemi said.

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As the debate continues on re-opening of schools in Nigeria, following the gradual ease in lockdown, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on July 19, issued new conditions for the reopening of tertiary institutions across the country.

The union asked the Federal Government to pay up all arrears of the withheld salaries of its members in both Federal and State Universities, among other conditions.

It also announced the development of an alternative to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) called University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).

Speaking at the University of Abuja, Gwagwalada Campus, the National President of the ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, told newsmen that the programs were part of the conditions given to the Federal Government to end the ongoing strike.

According to Ogunyemi, the UTAS will cater for the peculiarities of both private and public universities in Nigeria.

Recall, ASUU embarked on an indefinite strike on the 24th of March due to disagreements on the IPPIS platform.

“We counsel that Government at both the Federal and State levels must meet the Taskforce specified guidelines for reopening of educational institutions, we insist that all the arrears of the withheld salaries of our members in Federal and State Universities must be paid immediately to pave for further discussion on the outstanding issues in the Memorandum of Action of February 7, 2019.

“It is our sincere hope that the government would not renege on its promise because the benefits of UTAS to the university system (both public and private) cannot be found in any other software in Nigeria today. Now that the union is close to meeting the government’s demand on an alternative to IPPIS, it is our sincere hope that the substantive issues in the ongoing strike action would be given the desired attention,” he said.

The Union on July 19, had earlier explained that Nigerian universities may not be reopened even if the Federal Government orders the resumption of all schools amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

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Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, in an interview also clarified his position on the reports that the union urged the government not to reopen schools until 2021.

He 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.”

Speaking further, Prof. 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 the 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 the Government to make our universities standard,” he said.

Prof. Ogunyemi urged the Government to pay as much attention to education as it is paying to health.