Five days to the expiration of the ultimatum it gave to the Federal Government to meet the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Nigerian Union of Teachers on Saturday restated its resolve to embark on the solidarity strike from next week Thursday.
The National President of the NUT, Michael Olukoya, disclosed this at the Excellent Award ceremony in Abuja.
The award was organized to mark the 2013 World Teachers Day.
Governors Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State, Sulivan Chime of Enugu State and Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe State were honoured at the ceremony for their invaluable contributions to the advancement of the nation.
To resolve the ASUU crisis, Olukoya suggested that the Federal Government should set up a high-powered team comprising the President, the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and former presidents like Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and representatives of the Vice Chancellors to meet with ASUU urgently.
While commending government for making N130 billion available out of the N400 billion ASUU is demanding, Olukoya noted that ASUU officials were no fools to have insisted on having more money from government before calling off the strike.
He said: “The National Executive Council of our great union met about nine days (10 days by today) ago wherein the state of the nation was perused.
“We discovered that the way and manner education is going in this country is not good and something proactive should be done to change it.
“So, consequent upon that meeting, it was resolved that if in a fortnight the lingering problem between ASUU and Federal Government is not resolved, we should not hesitate to solidarise with them to ensure that education is properly footed, fitted and transformed.”
On whether the strike will still go ahead, Olukoya said: “Yes, it continues.
“But let me say, immediately we gave that ultimatum, the first person to invite us was the Minister of Labour and the Supervising Minister for Education.
“We met with them and they told us all that they have been able to do to put the matter behind us.
“We have not been able to meet with ASUU but we advised that if this people said they need about N400 billion and you have been able to provide N130 billion, well to all intent and purposes it is a good beginning.
“But then ASUU members are academics.
“They are not fools.
“May be their fear is that in the past people have been reneging on promises.
“So, in order to now build the confidence into this new found love, NUT advises that they involve powerful voices in this country like the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives that will take care of the legislative arm.
“Past heads of state like Olusegun Obasanjo and Mr. President himself, including representatives of Vice Chancellors of universities, should be involved because we cannot continue to stay at home.
“So, this is what we told them and they promised us this week (last week) they are going to key into it and we are waiting.
“But that does not mean that we are no longer carrying out our action if by the fortnight our students are still at home, sincerely speaking we shall shut all the schools, primary and secondary.
“It is high time we solidarise to ensure that the right thing is done at the appropriate time.”
Speaking after receiving the NUT award for excellence, Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State enjoined the striking lecturers to demonstrate understanding and reason with the government.
His words: “I’m sure the Federal Government is looking at it critically to ensure all areas of dispute are brought to an understanding that will bring to an end the current dispute.”
Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has called on teachers to act as agents of positive change and transformation to enable the nation to achieve its education goals.
Jonathan, who spoke while declaring open the 2013 World Teachers’ Day in Abuja, said he was making the call in his dual capacity as President and a teacher.
Represented by Vice President Namadi Sambo, the President challenged the teachers to work harder in imparting useful knowledge, discipline and patriotism to the younger generation.
He said: “On this important Teachers Day, we are making a call for teachers to give their utmost in achieving our education goals.
“We are calling for teachers who love the profession, not just teachers who impart knowledge to earn a living.
“We are calling for effective teachers, who assume ownership of the classroom, invest time with students and work creatively for their success.
“Indeed, we are making a call for teachers both in service and out of service, to act as agents of positive change and transformation for our dear nation.”
The President reassured Nigerians that government on its part was committed to addressing the challenges in the nation’s educational sector.
He, therefore, called on all stakeholders in the sector to support the teachers in their sacred assignment of building the present and future leaders of the country.
He added: “If we must develop as a people and a country, then, we cannot afford to leave this important task to our teachers alone.
“We must reason with them, we must work with them and we must continue to support them.”
Jonathan noted with delight the roles being played by teachers in sustainable development and thanked them for their immense contributions in the field of medicine, science, technology, politics and the economy.
He said his administration was determined to address teacher shortage and improve the quality of education by reinforcing the training and retraining of the teachers.
According to him, this is why the recruitment of teachers and teacher professional development at all levels is one of the focal areas of the education sector reforms.
He announced that government had so far trained 40,000 teachers at the National Teachers Institute, while the Tertiary Education Trust Fund had expanded its support in the training of 5,000 lecturers across higher educational institutions.
Accordingly, he said, government approved the construction of micro-teaching laboratories in all Federal Colleges of Education and one College of Education in each state.
The supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, commended the leadership of the NUT for their support and understanding in the realisation of the nation’s education goals.
Wike reassured them that government would continue to implement policies and programmes aimed at uplifting the quality of education in the country.
Wike also stated that government would abide by all agreements reached between it and all trade unions in the educational sector for peace to reign in the nation’s institutions.
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