Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) is advocating for the creation of a bill that would govern the process by which the children of public servants enrol in schools located outside of Nigeria.
Prof. Kingdom Tombra, Chairman of the University of Niger Delta University Wilberforce Island chapter of the union, stated this at the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) solidarity rally on Tuesday in Yenagoa.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the NLC has launched a statewide protest in solidarity with the ASUU and other affiliate unions over the ongoing strike in Nigeria.
"If this is done, it will help to establish a better society by creating formidable educational institutions and improving university funding in Nigeria.”
“This is a struggle for the working class against the ruling class, not against the government, and we are totally devoted to it.”
“I don’t think the strike will happen again if rich and poor students attend the same university or institution.”
“If they school here and their children attend here, they would show complete support for Nigeria’s university system and tertiary institutions,” he stated.
According to NAN, lecturers at government-owned universities began a nationwide strike on February 14 in protest of the university sector’s acceptance of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) as a payment system.
In a speech to organised labour, Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri praised the ASUU and the NLC for their peaceful protest, vowing to relay their requests to the relevant parties.
Mr John Ndiomu, the NLC Chairman in Bayelsa, also spoke and praised the governor for his calm demeanour.
He stated that the National Solidarity Rally represents both workers and students.
Ndiomu encouraged the federal government to sign the revised draught agreement reached between ASUU and the federal government.
“Utilize the University Transparency Accountability Solution (UTAS) in place of IPPIS, and pay Earned Academic Allowances” (EAA)
“Release of Revitalization Fund, Publication of White Paper on University Visitation to Federal Universities.” “Amend the NUC statute to restrict the expansion of state colleges that are not funded,” the labour leader added.