President Muhammadu Buhari has urged the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to reconsider their stance on the prolonged strike, expressing concern that the stalemate would have generational ramifications for families, the educational system, and the country’s future development.
“We hope that ASUU will sympathize with the people on the prolonged strike. Truly, enough is enough for keeping students at home. Don’t hurt the next generation for goodness sake,” he said.
The president, who received some All Progressives Congress (APC) governors, legislators, and political leaders at his Daura residence, said the university lecturers’ strike had already taken a toll on the psychology of parents, students, and other stakeholders, raising many moral issues.
Speaking further on the ASUU strike, he said the future of the country rests on the quality of educational institutions and education while assuring that the government understands their position and that negotiations should continue, with students in the lecture halls.
The president called on all well-meaning Nigerians, particularly those close to the leaders and members of the association, to intervene in persuading the lecturers to reconsider their position and the ripple effect on an entire generation and the nation.
Buhari said students from Nigerian universities would be faced with the challenge of competing with others in a highly connected and technology-driven workspace, and keeping them at home only deprives them of time, skill and opportunities to be relevant on the global stage.
“Colonial-type education was geared towards producing workers in government. Those jobs are no longer there. Our young people should get an education to prepare them for self-employment. Education is for the sake of education.
“Through technology, we are much more efficient. We should encourage our children to get an education, not only to look for government jobs,” he added.
