22 September
The Minister of State for Education, Tanko Sununu on Friday appealed to students to shun acts capable of disrupting the academic session as universities resume.
The Minister made the appeal during a meeting with the Congress of University Academics.
The Director of Press and Public Relations, Ben Goong on Friday, the Minister said the show of restraint was in the interest of all stakeholders, and system stability.
He noted that the ministry was having constructive dialogue and consultation with stakeholders over the welfare of students, and staff as well as the provision of infrastructure in tertiary institutions.
Acknowledging that strikes and non-use of facilities could lead to rapid infrastructural decay, the minister promised that President Bola Tinubu would do everything “humanly possible to avoid any situation that could lead to strikes.”
The president of CONUA, Niyi Sunmonu said there was the likelihood of student unrest occasioned by the new increase in school fees.
This, he said, has the potential of disrupting academic activities and the school calendar.
He also noted that there was a need to revisit the issue of the eight-month salary arrears that arose from the last strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, arguing that members of CONUA did not go on strike.
The statement added: “It must be noted, however, that all academic activities in universities were grounded throughout the period of the strike.”punch
