Covid-19: Why ASUU strike ‘ll continue – Official

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Kaduna State University (KASU) chapter has explained that the ongoing nationwide ASUU strike will continue, as Nigerian public universities lacked the facilities to commence learning under the Covid-19 protocol.  
ASUU Chairman, KASU chapter, Comrade Tukur Abdulkadir, told Blueprint on Sunday in Kaduna that the ASUU strike, which commenced on March 10, 2020, will continue into the 27th week, as Nigerian public universities lacked the infrastructure to conduct good online teaching or e-learning.

He said non-implementation of the 2019 Memorandum of Action (MoA) by the federal government has stifled Nigerian universities of facilities that could enable them proffer 21st century education of global standard, adding that state universities were worse, due to proliferation, underfunding and interference from various state governments.
“The position of KASU-ASUU is that as of today, no public university can meet the requirements of facilities needed to observe the Covid-19 protocols, neither can they boast of infrastructure for impactful online teaching or meaningful e-learning. 
“ASUU’s insistence on implementation of the February 7, 2019 MoA is to create the atmosphere required by the NCDC guidelines and e-learning infrastructure among other things in Nigerian universities.”
Speaking on what the 2019 MoA contains, he said, “the main highlights of the MoA include: resumption of full implementation of the MoU of 2013; Strengthening the consultative committee on state-owned universities inaugurated on 28th January, 2019 to look into the issues of proliferation, underfunding and governance to consistently deliver on it’s mandates. 
“Visitation to all federal universities to commence tentatively by 11th March, 2019; Provision of documented guidelines on procedures and roles of parties in the process of renegotiating FGN-ASUU Agreement of 2009 which would commence not later than 18th February 2019 and end by 29th March 2019.”
Tukur expressed hope that the Nigerian government will play its roles in the implementation of the agreements to create “a sound university system” and enable the provision of quality university education.  

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