“N20,000 stipends should also be given to the students to cushion the effect of the strike on education” – NANS President
As students of tertiary institutions affected by the eight months of industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) prepare for resumption, the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has requested that the Federal Government waive tuition, hostel fees and other payments for students during next session.
NANS said that the waiver would serve as compensation for the eight months they spent outside classrooms waiting for the face-off between the lecturers and Federal Government to end.
READ ALSO:
Ojaja II: Ooni Marries Four Wives In Three Weeks
Obajana Controversy: Kogi Drags Dangote To court
I thought I was Having Sex With My Wife – Man Who Impregnated 13-Year-Old Daughter
Nigeria Withdraw From AFCON Beach Soccer
The students claimed that the time wasted on the face-off could have afforded them the opportunity to complete their programmes in the varsities rather than staying at home.
The President, NANS, Usman Barambu, who disclosed the request, added that they would be approaching the central government to ask that N20,000 stipends should also be given to the students to cushion the effect of the strike on education.
Barambu announced the request on Saturday while responding to questions with two other guests on a popular television programme segment set aside to discuss challenges in tertiary institutions across the country.
The president lamented that he and other colleagues had calculated their time in school but the strike has changed their plans and many would have to start adjusting it which may be difficult for them to do.
He added that the students who were not allowed to be part of the agreements initially reached between the government and ASUU were made to suffer during the face-off.
Barambu stressed that if the students were allowed to participate, they would have been well informed and planned better for themselves rather than been caught unaware.
The president disclosed that even when they tried to get involved, the ASUU leadership rejected the move and they were forced out inspite of the Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, approving their presence.
“We demanded that we should be allowed to be involved in the negotiation and we are not saying that we will be interfering but to observe and have information at our disposal since we are also stakeholders in the negotiation.
“But the ASUU president rejected the move and that was why we were shut out and it affected our involvement and demonstration on the issues affecting the tertiary institutions across the country”.
He, meanwhile, urged the leadership of ASUU in all varsities to monitor disbursements and completion of projects approved by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETfund), to ensure judicious use of funds and completion of projects in their schools.
I want to urge the ASUU leadership to checkmate the Vice Chancellors to know how funds were spent on contracts and projects completed in their schools.
“We discovered that some of the projects were not done as stipulated in the contract that was approved by the government. The TETfund has the money but they do not have any supervision and all these contributed to the challenges facing the schools”, he added.
