While the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, last week suspended its three months old industrial action, many stakeholders were excited with the news, believing that at least students and lecturers can now return to classroom. However, there are indications that though the strike was called off seven days ago and teachers back at school, many undergraduates and new admitted students were nowhere to be found on campus, as they preferred to remain with their parents at their respective homes. A lecture hall  Vanguard visits to some of the public institutions of higher learning in the country revealed a very low turn out of students on campus. Thus, while teachers are preparing for lectures, the students are nowhere to be found for learning. Situational reports revealed that some of the available students at the University of Benin, UNIBEN, had arrived the campus before ASUU suspended the strike to serve as INEC official during the elections. Some new admitted...

  File photo: UNILAG Some university students have expressed mixed reactions following the suspension of the three-month old strike by the Academic Staff Union of Students (ASUU). Reports have it that the strike was suspended on Thursday, Feb. 7, after a conciliatory meeting between ASUU and representatives of the Federal Government led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige. The lecturers had demanded for the implementation of agreement entered into by the government with the union, including university revatilisation fund and earned allowances. Some Nigerian students who took to Twitter to express their opinion said the action was a tactic to deceive youths because of the coming elections.  @iniobong tweeted:  “How ASUU strike has not been a dominant issue in the ongoing presidential campaigns shows how unconcerned we all are about our shoddy education system.”  @oheng2000 said  “As much as I like the fact that #ASUU has ...

Senate President Bukola Saraki says the lingering strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) which has shuttered institutions of higher learning since November 4, 2018, will disenfranchise young and first-time voters who intend to cast ballots for their preferred candidates during the general elections. “The education of Nigeria’s young people is being negatively affected by the stance of the government and is also disenfranchising the youths, many of whom are registered to vote in their universities — but are now stuck in their homes”, Saraki said in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu. Saraki said since young people constitute 51 percent of registered voters, keeping them at home is inimical to the country’s democratic process. Saraki also said the senate under him did try to avert the strike. “In November 2016, the senate intervened in the ASUU strike and met with the officials of the Ministrie...

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Kano State University of Science and Technology (KUST) Wudil branch, has threatened to embark on a fresh strike immediately after the nationwide strike, if the state government failed to meet its demands. The ASUU KUST branch chairman, Mahadi Lawal-Yakubu issued the threat on Tuesday when he led members of the union on a courtesy visit to the Speaker, Kano State House of Assembly, Alhaji Kabiru Rurum, NAN reports. Lawal-Yakubu told newsmen shortly after the visit that they were at the House to intimate the Speaker about their problems as well as other issues affecting the union. According to him, the union found it necessary to discuss the challenges with the Speaker, with the hope that he would intervene in the issue to avert possible strike by the Union. He explained that the state government had approved for the payment of some allowances, but up to this moment not a single Kobo was paid. He added that, “The reasons be...