An Education Consultant, Bisi Akin-Alabi, on Wednesday, said that the 5 month long strike embarked upon by ASUU showed the members’ lack of commitment to the education sector, as no professional would leave the students unattended to no matter the situation.
Speaking on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, Mrs Akin-Alabi said the responsibility of an educator is to provide equitable and sustainable education and the use of strike as a tool to ensure demands are met is unprofessional.
She cited an example of the educational sector in the United Kingdom where she had been working for over 20 years and said lecturers in the UK don’t strike, “we picket” she added.
According to her, when picketing, some groups of lecturers continue teaching in the classrooms while others take turns protesting using placards.
“The problem we have in Nigeria is that, most of us in the education sector got there because we couldn’t make our first choice ambition in other fields (then we find our ways into the classroom), whereas in the developed parts of the world, people that are in education would absolutely die for it.”
She stressed that 5 months wasted as a result of the strike is ‘unthinkable.’
“Both the government and the ASUU need to wake up to the cost of 5 months strike.”
She expressed disappointment in the federal government for allowing the situation drag for so long
“It’s appalling to know that we have a democratically elected government and they fold their arms and allow this to go on for five months.”
According to the life coach, the inability of both parties to reach an agreement in good time led to ‘drama’ which ultimately caused the death of Professor Festus Iyayi.
Mrs Akin-Alabi also said she had expected more from President Goodluck Jonathan who was once a university don.
Responding to criticisms against ASUU for refusing to give Mr. President the benefit of the doubt, Akin-Alabi said it has become a norm for the government to renege on promises.
“Over and over again, our leaders go back on their words. Our leaders don’t have the integrity.”
Mrs Akin-Alabi concluded that two wrongs don’t make a right and the ideal thing would have been for ASUU to continue meeting the students ‘behind closed doors.’
“That’s what a professional does,” she said.
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