There is more to the four-month old industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities says the Federal Government on Wednesday.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said this after the Federal Executive Council meeting.
The meeting was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja.
Mohammed, who briefed State House Correspondents on behalf of the Minister of Education, said: “I wish that the ASUU issue is as simple as many of us think it is.
“I don’t think it’s that simple.
“But I want to assure you that a lot is going on behind the scenes.
“And I think probably the Minister of Education will be better positioned to give the details.
“But like any government, if we’re not concerned, we would not set up all the committees which have been working on.
“If we are not concerned, we will not be looking for means to even assuage the feelings of the Union.
“We’re worried we’re concerned, and we’ll continue to work towards finding an early resolution of the problem.
“And then the other question has to do with the with ASUU strike.
“I think if I remember this e-learning, I think has to do more with primary schools and not universities.
“And I don’t think because we’re having challenges with the university lectures, we should stop primary school students in continuing with their education.”
On approvals by the FEC, Mohammed said: “The Minister of Education has sought approval from Council for the award of contracts for the provision of a satellite- based education system for 109 e-learning centers across the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
“The contract was for the sum of N964 million and is in favour of Messrs Nas Navigation.
“The purpose of the memo is to provide each senatorial district in the country with e-learning provision, each states has three senatorial districts and the FCT has one senatorial district.
“The scope of the project is the provision of satellite based education system for about 4,360 users in the 109 senatorial districts and it was through the installation of 109 receiver satellite unit model antenna in three schools in each state.
“Installation and provision of 109 vast mile server in three schools in each state connecting up to 100 device installation of 109 server units for receiver terminals and deployment of 4,360 Android tablets.”
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