‘Strike encourages laziness’ — students beg FG to meet ASUU demands

Some Nigerian students have called on the federal government to meet the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to end the ongoing warning strike.

In separate interviews with NAN on Friday in Abuja, they said the incessant strike actions have stalled the academic progress of many students.

Mark Asekhemhe, a student, said the ongoing strike had impacted negatively on academic activities in universities.

He disclosed that industrial action was an old way of cajoling the government in meeting the demands of ASUU.

Asekhemhe said the strike would reduce the academic performance of students as it does not give them the opportunity to adequately prepare for exams.

He said it would also disrupt the nation’s university academic calendar.

“Embarking on a strike is a major factor that encourages students to be lazy because it prolongs required academic session for students,’’ he said.

Samuel Onime, a lecturer from Citi Polytechnic in Abuja, urged the federal government to continue to dialogue with ASUU with a view to meeting the teachers’ demands.

“Constant dialogue by both parties will go a long way to resolve the FG/ASUU disagreement and ensure that students are back to classes,’’ he said.

According to him, embarking on strike has the tendency of exposing students to criminal activities and worsens the security challenge in the country.

Onime, therefore, advised students to engage in acquiring skills and learning trades to keep them busy pending when the strike would be called off.

Hope Opumo, a student, urged the two parties to continue to dialogue until all their differences were resolved and future strikes averted.

University lecturers are on a one-month strike to press home their demands for improved teaching and learning environment and their welfare.