Students in 20 federal polytechnics and tens of state polytechnics across the country have remained at home for a total of 129 days due to the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics. In spite of this, the union and the Federal Government have refused to shift grounds and bring an end to the situation. In an interview with Vanguard Learning,the ASUP President said: “We have called a meeting for all our members, which will hold very soon. But in the meantime, we have directed our different chapters to start mass protests in their different locations. It is such a pity that since we got back to the Federal Government on February 6thwith the decision of our National Executive Council made on Feb 5thto continue the strike, there has been absolutely no response. This is despite the fact that there are 20 federal polytechnics and even more state polytechnics that have been closed down for nearly seven months. “The only reason I believe this is so is because there is a general disregard for polytechnics. When the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, was on strike, the Federal Government made moves to resolve the issue, but now that it is the polytechnics, government is not interested. When we met with the Supervising Minister of Education before we held our NEC meeting, he refused to discuss any other issue in the 13-point agreement apart from the payment of outstanding arrears. He simply promised that the government would pay in two installments. But even that statement did not hold water because it was obvious that he hadn’t consulted the Minister of Finance or any other top government official before making that proposal.” It would be recalled that ASUP embarked on a strike in April 2013, barely three months before the six-month strike by the ASUU which was called off in December. ASUP suspended the strike in July 2013 as a result of Government’s promise to fulfill four of the 13 issues in the contentious 2009 agreement between both parties. These four issues include release of the White paper on Visitation to Federal Polytechnics, the completion of the constitution of the governing councils for federal polytechnics, the migration of the lower cadre on CONTISS 15 salary scale, and the commencement of the Needs Assessment of Nigerian Polytechnics. The union suspended the strike, and gave Government a one month time frame to resolve these issues. But it was not until ASUP resumed its strike in January that the Federal Government commenced Needs Assessment and completed the constitution of the governing councils for federal polytechnics. ASUP is now insisting that all 13 issues must be attended to before the polytechnic lecturers will go back to school.

Students in 20 federal polytechnics and tens Students of public polytechnics and colleges of education and stakeholders alike continue to bemoan the lingering strike by the lecturers, writesGBENGA ADENIJI Miss. Felicia Blessing was pensive when our correspondent met her at the gate of the Yaba College of Technology, Lagos on Tuesday. The student ofAccountancy in the institution said she came to see if she could take some of her belongings home since the strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics and the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union had become protracted. Blessing, who said she was considering sitting for the next Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, added that she had lost interest in polytechnic education. She said, ‘’The Academic Staff Union of Universities embarked on strike for over five months last year and the entire country knew it. ASUP has been on strike since October last year and nobody cares. The Federal Government is not saying anything meaningful. We only loiter around since we have nothing tangible to do with our time. I doubt if many still remember what they learnt before the strike started. It is clear that the dichotomy between polytechnic and university education is manifesting hugely in this situation.’’ The student added that many of her colleagues now prefer university to polytechnic. Also, a student of the Federal College of Education, Akoka, Lagos, who simply identified himself as Bright, said the prolonged strike was a reflection of the insensitivity of the government to the future of its youths. He stated that it would be disastrous if the government continued to deny the youth both employment and education. Bright said, “We fear for our future in a country where the leaders care less about the future of students. I want to try my hands on something at least to make some money since the strike lingers but where are the jobs?” He noted that the strike was draining both psychologically and emotionally. On her part, a student of the Federal College of Education, Osiele, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Miss Adejoke Adebowale, called for a stakeholders’ forum to address the problems facing technical and vocational education in the country. She said it was wrong for emphasis to be on university education when both polytechnics and colleges of education play crucial roles in empowering youths. ‘’The length of the strike has shown that students of both polytechnics and colleges of education mean nothing to planners of education curriculum in Nigeria. We are tired of sitting at home and wish the government knows the consequences of the duration of the strike by both unions on the students,’’ Adebowale stated. A student of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Ojere, Ogun State, who gave her name as Oluwatosin, urged both the striking lectures and the government to consider the students in the lingering strike. She said, ‘’The Federal Government and the lecturers should know that when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers. In this case, it is the students that are suffering and we appeal to the government to give in to the demands of the lecturers.’’ Also, the President, Students’ Union, Yabatech, Mr. Salvador Ganiyu, said the strike had become tiring. He added that it was bad that the students were in a helpless situation. Ganiyu said, ‘’Our government is insensitive to the plight of polytechnic lecturers and students. If an agreement is reached, it is honourable for the parties to abide by the terms. The government is not ready to listen to our plight. Most of the demands of the two unions are for the good of the students. They want a new lease of life for the colleges of education and polytechnics.’’

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