The federal government has said that university students may soon return to their various higher institutions as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) could call off its strike soon.
The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, speaking with journalists after a press conference on Friday, January 25, said there was a possibility of university lecturers ending their strike soon.
However, ASUU has insisted that university lecturers will only return to work when their demands are met by the federal government
Meanwhile, some aggrieved students have appealed to both parties to be realistic in their negotiation.
Some students who spoke to National Network in Port Harcourt on the development expressed sadness over the continued strike which they said had made them weary.
They urged ASUU to consider the financial capacity of the government while on the other hand calling on the government to be responsive to their promises.
One of the students, ThankGod Moses, a law student of University of Calabar said: “The strike is really distracting students and also bringing students backwards in their academic pursuit”.
The students said that the ASUU/ASUP strike is a delay to their academic activities, saying that the strike could make them to start academic life all over again whenever it is called off, adding that the strike could also give them an extra academic year in the long run.
A graduate of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Leyira Emmanuel said: “If not for the strike, I would have been mobilized for NYSC.”
The students also blamed the federal government for causing the strike because of their inability to fulfill the promises they made to ASUU and ASUP.
However, Benjamin Foundation, a medical student of University of Port Harcourt said: “ASUU/ASUP should try to consider the amount of money demanded relative to the government’s financial strength at present especially now that the government is expected naturally to spend much due to the election at hand.
“They should reach a mutual agreement in order to call off the strike for the sake of students and academic activities”.
