Ban overseas studies for public servant’s children, solution to needless strike- ASUU
By Modupe Shodeinde
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Akure zone, said a law compelling all public office holders’ wards to be educated in Nigeria, is the way out of the incessant strike actions in the education sector.
Prof. Olufayo Olu-Olu, zonal coordinator, in a statement said that the privilege of members of the ruling class to have their wards schooling abroad is the reason they have no commitment to ending the strike
According to him the “political office has become occupational rather than public service” and a law banning the public office holders from sending their children abroad to study would help to rebuild the nation’s education sector.
“Until we domesticate two very important practices as laws in Nigeria, we may not get out of this doldrums -first, an act to compel all public office holders and government appointees to have their wards educated in Nigeria public schools from primary to tertiary level.
“Secondly, an act to compel all political office holders, appointees and their dependents prohibiting them from seeking medical intervention outside Nigeria. When these two laws are enacted, perhaps we will gradually see the end of needless ASUU strikes in the country.
The Union stated that the University system has suffered brain drain arising from poor infrastructural, capital and human resource development.
“We have lost a lot of good brains to more organized and purposeful countries over pittance paid to the academia in Nigeria as well as poor funding of research and patronage of research in our universities that serve as solution centres globally.
It added that University education and funding is not toyed with in developed countries as is done in Nigeria.
ASUU stated that till when the government does the needful through proper funding and payments of withheld emoluments among other issues, the struggle continues.
