Funmi Ogundare
On Monday, members of the Education Writers Association of Nigeria (EWAN) demanded the immediate reopening of universities shut down due to the lingering strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
They also sought solutions to other challenges confronting the education sector. With a banner and placards bearing, ‘No to incessant strikes’, ‘Nigerian students are tired of idleness’, ‘Save tertiary education from total collapse’, Public education deserves better funding’, ‘No to corruption’, among others, they marched from the premises of Lagos Television/Eko FM to Lagos Government House, Alausa, Ikeja.
They were addressed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Tokunbo Wahab and a member of Lagos State House of Assembly, representing Ikeja constituency II, Adedamola Richard Kasunmu. Other stakeholders, such as the CEO Edumark and founder CPE, Mrs Yinka Ogunde and public interest lawyer, Mr. Jiti Ogunye, also joined the group.
The Chairman of the association, Mr. Mojeed Adebayo, explained the association’s mission, which was to present a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari through Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on the continued closure of universities due to ongoing strikes by academic and non-academic staff.
“We feel that as parents and concerned Nigerians, we are also affected. The challenges we have in this country are too enormous. We are saying that reopening of the universities is very paramount and the only way the country can be liberated is through education,” he stressed.
Wahab said he feels the pains of parents, adding that the country can do much more to ensure that the education sector works.
“If things are not working, why are they not working?” he stated. “An idle hand is the devil’s workshop. The spate of insecurity will not abate if we do not fix education, and it is unfortunate.”
He promised to deliver the association’s message to the government.
Ogunde said there was a need for the children of the poor to have access to quality education.
“We are hoping that parents at every state will come out and ask their leaders questions about why the children are not in school. We don’t want them to go into cybercrime,” she added. “It is hoped that the issue will be resolved very soon. The future of the country is at stake. We should engage the minds of the youths by getting them back to school.”
Mr Jiti Ogunye, who emphasised the reform of the education system, said, “That end is to have qualitative education, an education that is productive and can make our young people employable, not only in this society but outside the shores of Nigeria.”
On his part, Kasumu said he “understands the plight of our parents, lecturers,” and students as a result of incessant strikes.
He also expressed the Lagos government’s readiness to work with the federal government to resolve some challenges in the education sector.
