The National Parent-Teacher Association of Nigeria has sought audience with the Federal Government over the lingering strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
The association is also proposing the payment of N10, 000 per session for each parent to assist government in making more funds available for universities.
NAPTAN’s Public Relations Officer, Dr. Ademola Ekundayo, disclosed this during an interview with The PUNCH on Tuesday.
Ekundayo, who lamented continued closure of universities in the country, said parents were at the receiving ends of the disagreement between the Federal Government and ASUU.
He said, “We have submitted a letter to the Office of the Education Minister, seeking for audience where we hope to discuss a proposal.
“We are proposing a sum of N10, 000 per parent every session that will be directly paid to the universities. That will be our own contribution apart from other statutory payments in making more funds available to the universities.
“It can be called parent support levy for universities. We are at the receiving end of the industrial action. We plead with the ASUU and Federal Government to immediately resolve their differences.”
Obasanjo, Jonathan’s intervention
A philanthropist and founder of Opeyemi David Falegan Foundation, Opeyemi Falegan, has called on the past presidents and military rulers to intervene in the lingering ASUU strike.
He also called on the Federal Government and the striking lecturers to consider making necessary sacrifices to end the strike.
The United Kingdom-based Social Democratic Party chieftain made the appeal in a statement made available to journalists in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday titled, “Strike: Nigerian tertiary education system on the verge of total collapse if ASUU strike continues, Falegan warns.”
“The continued industrial action by ASUU may lead to total collapse of tertiary education in Nigeria if the Federal Government and ASUU continue to be flexing muscles. They should sheath their sword in the best interest of hapless Nigerian students and their parents,” Falegan said.
He urged former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan and as well past military leaders, including Yakubu Gowon and Abdusalam Abubakar, among others to intervene with a view to making the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), see reason to ensure reopening of the universities.
“We call on well-meaning Nigerians, especially former Heads of State and Presidents to prevail on the current Nigerian leaders to accede to the demands of ASUU to allow the lecturers and students return to the classrooms,” he said.
Strike continues
The Federal University, Dutsin-Ma branch of ASUU has called for total and indefinite strike by union members nationwide if the Federal Government continues to ignore its national headquarters’ demands.
The union took the decision at its congress was held at the institution’s take-off campus in Dutsin-ma on Monday.
A copy of the resolutions arrived at during the congress, signed by the branch’s Chairperson, Jibrin Shagari; and Secretary, Mzungu Ignatius, was made available to The PUNCH on Tuesday.
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