L
LequteMan
Guest
Although Federal Government may have met ASUU's requirement for calling off the strike, Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu thinks the crises rocking the Nigerian university system still looms.
“I think the general feeling when this comes to an end will be relief that the universities are going to re-open, but that relief is bitter sweet.
“Bitter sweet because the underlying issues have not been addressed, bitter sweet because the way we are going, this is guaranteed to happen again.
“And something needs to be done to make sure it doesn’t happen again. “The problem in the education sector is more than just infrastructure. Infrastructure is
part of it.
“So, let’s say government provides money; that’s not all that the government has got to do; how do you ensure that that money is going to be used for what it is meant. “How do we ensure that every dime of that money fulfills its role in the system; that there is no diversion?
“Are we saying that all the vice chancellors are saints, and none of the money that gets into the university system ever gets diverted? And why has the infrastructure system has become so run
down?
“It is because university lecturers have allowed the system to be overwhelmed by politicians. There are rules as to limits, as to class sizes, as to what the infrastructure can take.“
He said after the money might have been disbursed, university lecturers are to make sure that the facilities are maintained.
He also advised the unions to stop trading blames and be prepared to make some concessions.
He therefore called for a quick step to be taken towards restoring education at primary and secondary education as both are the bane of whatever education one is to get at any higher institution.
“I think the general feeling when this comes to an end will be relief that the universities are going to re-open, but that relief is bitter sweet.
“Bitter sweet because the underlying issues have not been addressed, bitter sweet because the way we are going, this is guaranteed to happen again.
“And something needs to be done to make sure it doesn’t happen again. “The problem in the education sector is more than just infrastructure. Infrastructure is
part of it.
“So, let’s say government provides money; that’s not all that the government has got to do; how do you ensure that that money is going to be used for what it is meant. “How do we ensure that every dime of that money fulfills its role in the system; that there is no diversion?
“Are we saying that all the vice chancellors are saints, and none of the money that gets into the university system ever gets diverted? And why has the infrastructure system has become so run
down?
“It is because university lecturers have allowed the system to be overwhelmed by politicians. There are rules as to limits, as to class sizes, as to what the infrastructure can take.“
He said after the money might have been disbursed, university lecturers are to make sure that the facilities are maintained.
He also advised the unions to stop trading blames and be prepared to make some concessions.
He therefore called for a quick step to be taken towards restoring education at primary and secondary education as both are the bane of whatever education one is to get at any higher institution.