Immaculate Immanuel Jos
The Academic Staff Union of Universities, Plateau State University, PLASU, Chapter, has said it has uncovered plot by federal government officials to lower standards in Nigerian public universities so that they could make private Universities attractive to Nigerian Public..
The Union Chairman comrade Monday Hassan Zitta in a statement in Jos on Wednesday, notes that “the Federal Government may wish to assume that the resistance against it’s selfish interest in public university education is over”, as it vows that the Government’s hope of “ushering in an era of all privatized University system in the country where only the rich and powerful shall be opportune to attend University education will never see the light of day”.
The Union leader also explained that its struggle as a Union ” is to protest the casualization of Nigeria n Universities Academics”, pointing out that the struggle is beyond the lies, the deceits, the half truths, and mischievous diversions that are presented to the public”.
According to the academic body, “the real reason we are fighting is not the withholding or prorating of salaries.
“These are issues that were mischievously introduced by the deliberate acts of delaying negotiations and discarding agreements signed by committees set up by the same Government”.
Thus, it said, “the real issues are proper funding for public universities in Nigeria”, and proper “remuneration and better working conditions to make Nigerian Universities attractive to foreign scholars”.
“As it stands”, the Union concludes, “many scholars with the discipline and aptitude for the work are leaving the country because of the very poor working conditions for academics”.
Kwararafa Reporters 