Students of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) yesterday staged a peaceful protest within the state capital, urging the sack of the Minister of Education, Sam Egwu for failing to end the face-off between the federal government and various striking teachers’ unions.
The students also threatened to stage their protests in all the 18 local governments in the state to compel the government to resume negotiations with the university workers.
Armed with various placards, the students who barricaded the inter-state Ilesha road and marched round some major streets said Mr Egwu has failed in his responsibility. The students specifically complained of the nonchalant attitude of the minister in resolving the crisis.
Addressing journalists at Adegbola junction, the Student Union President of the FUTA, Oluwaseun Enikanosaye said they support the striking unions whose demands were just and aimed at lifting the standard of university education across the country.
Too long
“It is exactly three months and one week when this strike started. This is caused by the insensitivity and inaction of our government towards the yearnings and agitations of Nigerian students and the future of the nation,” Mr Enikanosaye said.
“Nigerian students believe that silence is not an option and that is why we are taking this giant stride in fighting against injustice and oppression by our government” he added. The student leader said since the nation’s independence in 1960, it has witnessed poverty, high level of corruption and underdevelopment.
He urged parents and guardians to join hands with lecturers and students to fight against government’s failure to address the lecturers’ demands through peaceful protests and called for the immediate reinstatement of the seven sacked lecturers at the Oyo State College of Education by the Oyo State government.
Neglect
The National President of National Association of Ondo State Students, Temidayo Temola condemned the poor funding of the education sector, which he said was far below the UNESCO standard.
“Nigeria, though big in land mass and population, cannot be referred to as a great nation because the destinies of the youths who are expected to be the leaders of tomorrow have been mortgaged through neglect of the education sector,” he said.
He urged the federal government to give priority to education, as it was the only way the nation can move forward.
“We believe that the priority should be in the following order of importance: education followed by power, agriculture and security and health,” he said.
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