Prof. Adewumi Babatunde Idowu, the vice-chancellor of Glorious Vision University (GVU), Ogwa, Edo State, urged federal, state, and education sector stakeholders Tuesday to find a more practical and long-term solution to the problem of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike.
In an interview with Prime 9ja Online, Idowu shared his predictions for the education sector and made the call. Idowu expressed sadness that Nigerian politicians have not addressed the persistent problem of the ASUU strike.
He emphasised that although institutions were closed for nearly a whole year in 2022, nothing came of it.
Nothing but the unionisation of the Balkans, he claimed. I assure you that the federal government's behaviour is akin to a Frankenstein creature that will one day hunt them. Denial of pay has also never been helpful. The military didn't find it effective. No government will ever be able to implement it.
He emphasised the requirement that all levels of government set aside 1% of Value Contributed Tax (VAT) in a special account, stressing that the money would be added to the annual tertiary education budget.
The government and Nigerians must view our universities as the centre of national development, and the system must be encouraged and given the resources necessary to carry out that task, he said, which is what led to the creation of TETFund.
“IPPIS should be immediately replaced with a payment system that recognises the peculiarities of higher education. Recent revelations have shown that IPPIS has huge challenges.
“Why is it difficult for the federal government to accept and make use of the payment platform developed by ASUU and Nigerians in particular?” the Professor of Zoology asked.
He stated that vice-chancellors must also start thinking outside the box on internally generated revenue, adding that a situation where they and other university managements, go cap in hand every month for a subvention should not be the only way out. “Unarguably, most universities abroad generate so much from research grants and patronage by companies. Corporate organisations in Nigeria also need to be patronised to encourage the Nigerian university system.
“The welfare of the staff, academic and non-academic alike must be taken seriously by the government and the universities. The current ‘Japa’ syndrome has seen more than 28 per cent of academics relocating overseas within the last year.
“This is not Japa; it is brain drain and Nigeria will pay dearly for it if nothing is done urgently to check this ugly trend.
“The governments, universities and other partners must start paying attention to science laboratories. Research drives science. If we fail to provide a conducive environment for researchers, staff and students in the universities, nothing will happen,” Idowu stressed.