A former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Senator Ahmadu Ali, yesterday in Abuja begged the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to return to the classroom “in the name of God”.
The university system, he said, is the most critical variable in the development of the country’s education.
Ali, a former Federal Commissioner for Education during the military government of Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, spoke at the inauguration of the governing boards and councils of Federal Ministry of Education’s corporations/institutions and the Committee on NEEDS Assessment for Polytechnics and Colleges of Education.
The politician is the chairman of the Governing Council of the National Universities Commission (NUC).
He decried the challenges facing the sector.
Ali said: “I beg ASUU, in the name of God, to return to the classroom. This is coming at a time when our educational system is facing major challenges. We consider our appointment as very important. The importance is heightened by the fact that the university system, which the NUC is supervising, is the most critical variable in the development of our national education.
“The quality of our education depends largely on maintaining a good quality in the university. We promise to do our best to contribute to a more robust system.”
The Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, who inaugurated the governing boards/councils, urged the members to ensure that the industrial actions experienced in the institutions are resolved.
He said: “It is clear that the sustenance of the ongoing processes may continue to be problematic since the Federal Government lacks the capacity to fully and solely meet the funding needs of tertiary education. Consequently, effective fund mobilisation, through diverse sources and greater prudence and efficient utilisation of available funds, must be of utmost concern to you.
“You have no excuses to give since you already have the institutional freedom and flexibility to respond to the challenges of limited public funding through proactive initiatives on endowments, sourcing research grants, the provision of consultancy services, as well as courting the involvement of the private sector in the development of the institutions.”
The Chairman, House of Representatives’ Committee on Education Aminu Suleiman said the National Assembly was trying to resolve the ASUU crisis.
He urged the boards and councils to put the interest of the country above personal interests.
The lawmaker advised the members to aim at excellence, adding that giving excuses would lead to failure.
Suleiman noted that the corporations had suffered because they did not have boards and councils.
Osun State Deputy Governor Mrs. Grace Laoye-Tomori hailed the government for appointing those capable of running the governing boards and councils.
She urged the members to work hard and avoid distractions from various quarters.
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