Nigerian university students have united under the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and have protested in the streets of Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State’s capital, demanding that the federal government yield to the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The students displayed signs reprimanding the government for not honoring the agreement it entered into with the ASUU in 2009. They are also threatening to shut down activities in private universities if the crisis continues.
Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, Asafon Sunday, Director of Action and Mobilisation NANS, South-West, said there has been an increase in revenue from the sale of oil and yet the Federal Government did not budget a reasonable amount to the education sector. UNESCO’s recommended allocation is 26 percent, however, Nigeria has only budgeted 8.5 percent to their education sector.
Steven Adara, a student leader from Ekiti State University, stated, “We will mobilise and disrupt academic activities in the private universities because it is the sons and daughters of the rich that are in these schools.”
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Written by Nina Thurau