ASUU Strike 2013 Update: Two Schools to Resume Class; Jonathan Clarifies Stance

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike that has lasted months may have suffered a setback as two universities–the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and Enugu State University of Science and Technology–said they would resume classes on Dec. 2. It comes as President Goodluck Jonathan clarified the government’s stance on the matter.

The move comes around a day after the Nigerian federal government threatened to remove lecturers if they did not resume working on Dec. 4. The ASUU said the threat was laughable, and it wouldn’t accomplish much.

But there appear to be cracks in the strike, reported This Day Live, which said the two schools issued statements over the weekend about resuming class on Monday.

The ASUU went on strike in July after it said the government failed to implement a 2009 agreement that would improve school facilities and upgrade the welfare of teachers. There have been periodic meetings and talks between the ASUU’s leadership and the federal government–including with President Goodluck Jonathan himself–but to no avail.

President Jonathan clarified the government’s recent comments about sacking teachers.

“We didn’t give them ultimatum; it was the Committee of Vice Chancellors that took that decision. The Supervising Minister of Education only passed on the decision,” he said, according to the Osun Defender.

Jonathan added that the ASUU strike is not a trade dispute any more, but a subversive action that undermines the government.

“What ASUU is doing is no longer trade Union,” he said, according to the Daily Post. “I have intervened in other labor issues before now. Once I invite them, they respond and after the meeting, they take decision and call off the strike.”

He added that the ASUU strike is the longest dialogue he’s been involved with as president.

“I have intervened in other labor issues before now. Once I invite them, they respond and after the meeting they take decision and call off the strike. At times, we don’t even give them a long notice unlike in the case of ASUU that were given four-day notice before the meeting. As you are meeting to resolve trade disputes, you expect the trade unions to get their officials ready,” he said, according to the Nigerian Tribune.

The strike has left hundreds of thousands of students across the country essentially in limbo. And without classes for several months, it is essentially a lost semester.

ASUU leaders weren’t pleased with the government’s Dec. 4 ultimatum.

Oghenekaro Ogbinaka, who heads the University of Lagos’ branch of the ASUU, told the Premium Times that threats won’t work.

“Our reaction is simple. Let us just wait for the seven days to come around,” he said. “What government has just done shows that they were not committed in the offer they made with the union that had the Trade Union Congress President and the Minister of Labour in attendance.”