Parents and university students in Kaduna on Monday expressed disappointment over the decision of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to again, extended the strike embarked on five months ago, by another four weeks.
Recall that ASUU had shut down public universities on February 14, 2022, due to the Federal Government’s inability to implement a Memorandum of Action (MoA) entered by the two parties in 2020.
But, upon hearing the news of another extension by four weeks on Monday, some parents who complained that their children have overstayed, described the action of ASUU as frustrating and unkind to the academic body.
They lamented that in a very difficult situation like this, the body of academia has to tread with caution.
According to Dr. Joseph Madaki, a medical doctor with a private hospital in Kaduna, he said the academic body has taken the issue of strike too far. He said most students have forgotten what they have learnt, adding that the prolonged strike has pushed some of them into crimes, prostitution, and all kind of labourer jobs.
Also, in an interview with our correspondent on Monday, Miss Rose Ademu, who said she is in her 400 level at the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, before the strike, said she has no option but to hook for a man of her choice.
“I cannot lose two things at a time. I planned to finish in time, get married. But, since ASUU goes on strike, I have to hook to a man of my choice, pending when they resume,” she said.
Alhaji Ali Musa said he has two students in the university, who have nothing to do at home presently.
According to him, he is tired of feeding them, clothing them, and providing them with pocket money.
While pleading with ASUU, not to extend the strike, after the four weeks elapse, he said no amount of money received from the teaching profession, will equate to the knowledge imparted to the students.
According to him, the teacher’s reward is always in heaven.
A 300-level student of Federal University Lokoja, Mr. Moses Danjuma, pleaded with ASUU to see reason and call off the prolonged strike.
According to him, ASUU should consider students as their own sons and daughters, to shelve their over five months of industrial action.
