ASUU doesn’t care about us, varsity students lament

As the strike by university teachers continues, aggrieved students have described the move as insensitive, accusing the union of being selfish.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had on Monday, March 23 commenced an indefinite strike over failure of the Federal government to meet their demands.
 
Some students who spoke with The Guardian said this is not the right time for the union to be agitating about their personal benefits.

With the global COVID-19 pandemic and the present state of the country, the students said ASUU should have been more compassionate.

A student from University of Abuja UNIABUJA simply identified as Michael said, ‘‘This act is just to show that the university teachers do not care if Nigeria is in crisis or not; they only care about their money. This is the time ASUU should be sensitising us, this period is when they should use their time as lecturers to reach us online and advice us to stay safe and take all precautionary measures.
 
Muritadoh Omotoke a student from Lagos State University (LASU) said, ‘’This period should not be when ASUU should be fighting with the government. The nation is chaotic at the moment, old and young, strong and weak are panicking due to the pandemic disease, this should be the time to look for a way we can be learning from home.
 
Another student, Ayeni Esther from University of Ibadan (UI) said, ‘’This is not the best time for ASUU to be agitating on IPPIS, it should be one step at a time, this is when they should be telling their students to take preventive measure and even to make some announcement on air as a concerned group’’.
 
Opeyemi Peter a student from Ekiti State University (EKSU) said the union should have teamed up with the government to address the global scourge.

He said, “ ASUU should have shown more concern at this time, its support during this period to students is more important than money. We know they have families to feed but declaring strike at this time is highly insensitive.

For Pelumi Odushe from Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) said, Ordinarily, the university teachers are not supposed to be on strike at this time but this country is a very funny place. It is like a game of chess. ASUU is watching the government and they are making moves, strike has been the only language Federal Government understands but it should not have been at the expense of the pandemic when no solution is even in sight.