LAGOS – An educationist, Mrs Eunice Alabi, on Tuesday pleaded with the Federal Government to do everything possible to resolve the strike embarked by polytechnic lecturers.
Alabi, who is also the Director of Covenant Pearls Consult, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that parents were not happy with the prolonged strike.
She said that government should think of what would become of the future of the students as the strike lingered.
“The Federal Government should not be too comfortable with the current situation in the polytechnics.
“The government should sit up and do something on the plight of the young ones because they are our future.
“We should not be too comfortable at the expense of the students; we should give our children the best during their life time so that posterity will remember.
“We plead with government to do whatever they have to do for the polytechnics to resume and operate fully and help the citizens.
“Education is the future of the country; these youths are the future of the country.’’
Alabi said that it was disappointing that students were being forced to sit at home for almost a year because of the strike.
The educationist said that students were losing a lot to the strike, adding that their anticipation to graduate within a period of time had been jeopardised.
According to her, a student enrols for a four year programme of eight semesters in the polytechnic with the hope and aspiration to become a graduate but the plan is scuttled because of strike.
“A Higher National Diploma programme naturally is to be taken in four years; due to strike, students end up spending six or even seven years on a four year programme.
“In other countries, when lecturers go on strike, it does not last more than two weeks; their governments make sure they go back for the sake of the children.
“Our leaders are not doing much to help the youths; out students should not be allowed to roam the streets because we fail to do the right thing.
“Students need more attention to keep them away from crimes like cultism, kidnapping and armed robbery,’’ she said.
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics embarked on an indefinite strike in October, 2013 over the deplorable state of government-owned polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of technology among other demands. (NAN)