ASUP STRIKE: Education Is The Lighting Of A Fire

Education is not the filling of a pail, but
the lighting of a fire. It is an easy way
for national development so its role
cannot be overemphasized. polytechnic
education is the strong emphasis on
practice-based learning. It is structured
to be technical, scientific, educational,
practical, and research-oriented.
The fast increase in technological
advancement around the world has
emphasis the indispensability of
technical education. Unfortunately,
irrespective of the importance of
polytechnic education to national
development, polytechnic education in
Nigeria has faced many major challenge.
One of the major challenge is neglect of
polytechnic education by both the
government and private industries. The
federal government has failed to
develop polytechnic education and also
inability to give attentions to issues
affecting them. It has concentrated its
attention to the university which is the
only recognized institution in the
country. In addition, the federal
government has also failed in funding of
polytechnic education.
In the 2012 budget allocated to
education sector which were over
400billion, federal polytechnics got
15.92 percent. But federal universities
got 47.10 percent, an indication that
the university sector alone received
more than twice what was allocated to
the polytechnics and colleges of
education, according to Chibuzor
Asomugha, ASUP National President.
on the 29th of April, 2013 Academic
Staff Union of the Polytechnics (ASUP)
embarked on an indefinite strike
Interventions were made by the Joint
Senate and House Committee on
Education and other concern bodies
which led to the suspension after
81days.
On October 4, 2013 ASUP resumed
their indefinite strike again. This was
because FG and the committee did not
fulfil their promise to ASUP. We was
made to understood that ASUP initially
presented 13 demands which were
later reduced to four. The four ASUP's
demands include the need for the
constitution of the Governing Councils
of Federal Polytechnics, the migration of
the lower cadres on the CONTISS 15
salary scale, the release of the White
Paper on the Visitations to Federal
Polytechnics, and the need for the
commencement of the Needs
Assessment of Nigerian Polytechnics.
As a result of this strike students has
been at home for not less than 140
days doing nothing.
At this point I call on the federal
government and other concern bodies
to look into polytechnic education to
end this strike and also call on my
fellow student to join me on
#SaveOurFutureASUP_FG campaign
using social media [twitter and
facebook] to call the attention of the
government to look into ASUP
demands.
Finally, "He who opens a school door,
closes a prison," -Victor Hugo. For there
is no national development without
education.
By AMADI INYA, HND1
Federal Polytechnic Idah,
Kogi State.