Education stakeholders are divided on the decision taken by the Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT, to commence a solidarity strike in support of striking university lecturers.
While those in support of the solidarity
strike are of the view that it would draw the attention of the
international community to the state of Nigerian education, those in opposition say shutting down the education system is misplaced priority on the part of NUT.
Rising from its National Executive Council, NEC, meeting in Abuja on September 26, NUT threatened to join ASUU members in a solidarity strike.
It gave the Federal Government two weeks to meet ASUU’s demands or face
a total strike that would paralyse the country’s education sector.
Worried by the possible effect of an NUT
strike, the Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, had
scheduled to meet with leaders of the union to find out what their
problem is with the ASUU strike.
Receiving House of Representatives
Committee on Education members, who were on an oversight function to the
ministry on Monday, Wike said: “We just heard that the NUT is
threatening to go on strike because of ASUU, and we are wondering what
the ASUU strike has got to do with the NUT.
“When states failed to pay the minimum
wage for teachers and they went on strike, ASUU did not join them. The
NUT takes care of basic and secondary teachers’ interests, so it has no
business with ASUU. I believe when we meet on Wednesday, we will sort it
out.”
Speaking exclusively to Vanguard
Learning, the NUT National President, Mr. Michael Alogba said: “We have a
NEC meeting next week. The decision to embark on strike was taken by
the NEC, and can only be rescinded by the NEC.
Grounding entire sector
“The Minister of Labour and Productivity
met with us last week and gave us a situation report from government’s
end. It is the result of this meeting we will take to the NEC. But we
never had any doubt that a solidarity strike would move the government
to take ASUU much more seriously. Grounding the entire sector is sure to
get the attention of the international community and as such, put the
Federal Government on its toes. That is the power in democracy.”
Calling on other unions in the country
to emulate NUT and NUPENG, the National Coordinator, Education Rights
Campaign, Mr. Hassan Soweto, tasked the NUT to ensure that they are not
arm-twisted by government.“Though shutting down the knowledge sector
isn’t the best thing to do, we endorse this solidarity strike because we
want the President to do the right thing. We are convinced that all
concerned stakeholders who want the sector to move forward would join in
demonstrating our dissatisfaction.”
Pointing out that one day of action is a
good starting point that would spur others to do same, Soweto commended
NUT and NUPENG for reviving the idea of solidarity strike which is
acceptable in global unionism.
Opposing the strike action being
proposed by NUT, an education policy consultant, Mr. Wale Samuel, rather
called on government, ASUU and NUT to reason together and find a
solution to the crisis.
“Stakeholders need to give room for
honest and open dialogue which, of course, would naturally revolve
around the sincerity of government to provide support within available
funds and the need for ASUU and NUT to realise that strike may never
secure all demands.
“There is the need for them to also bear
in mind that, ultimately, these strikes would equally take its toll on
the end product of education, in this case, the students.”
Agreeing with him is the President,
National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, Yinka Gbadebo, who said
the proposed solidarity strike would rather escalate an already
delicate matter.
“Showing solidarity doesn’t require
shutting down the education system as that is fueling an already
delicate and dangerous situation. NUT can show support or concern by
engaging government in meaningful talks that would lead to the
resolution of the crisis.
“Agreed that all isn’t well with the
system but we can’t have a crash solution to years of rot and neglect in
the education system.”
For a parent who declined to give her
name, the strike is a misplacement of priority as, rather than going on a
strike that does not affect them in anyway,
“NUT should be doing everything possible to bring the primary and secondary schools to their past glory.”
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