Loading ...No fewer than 10 million students are affected by the on-going nationwide university teachers’ strike, it was learnt yesterday.
Ekiti Democratic Coalition Alliance (EDCA) and National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) made the disclosure at a news conference in Ado-Ekiti yesterday.
They said the figure includes students already in the universities and those seeking admission into the ivory towers.
EDCA National Coordinator Mr. Morakinyo Ogele and the Chairman of NANS Joint Campus Committee, Ondo/Ekiti states, Mr. Adeolu Oyebode, blamed the shutdown of the public universities on the alleged unseriousness of the Federal Government to properly fund education.
Ogele said it was shameful that the nation’s universities are shut when the country is marking its 49th Independence Anniversary.
He called for the removal of the Minister of Education, Dr. Sam Egwu, over his failure to resolve the strike.
Oyebode regretted that the education system could be in this state when President Umaru Yar’ Adua and Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan were the first set of graduate leaders to emerge.
He said if the Federal Government really cares for the future of the leaders of tomorrow, it ought to have implemented the agreement reached with ASUU so that the students can return to school.
In a communiqué by the groups, they canvassed the 26 per cent benchmark funding of education prescribed by UNESCO.
Calling on Egwu to resign honourably, they promised to mobilise a “legion of youths and students against him to force his removal from office” for allegedly toying with the future of the students.
EDCA and NANS also called on the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Abdulwaheed Omar, to declare a solidarity strike in support of the lecturers.
The communiqué urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate how the funds released to Vice- Chancellors by the federal and state governments are managed.
The two groups also warned against the increment of tuition fees.
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