Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian universities have been urged to support ongoing efforts by the federal government to end the ongoing strike by Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The Executive Secretary, National Universities’ Commission (NUC) Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, made the call on Monday in Abuja at the 2022 Retreat for Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities’ and Directors of Inter-university Centres.
He said nations all over the world explore teaching, research and community service to the developing of technical resources for the development of aspirations and goals.
Prof Rasheed said, “This year’s retreat is bordering on an area of threat and uncertainty in our public universities, due to the unfortunate strike, especially as ASUU is in its sixth month now.
“And as vice-chancellors, we have a deep understanding of the negative consequences of the prolonged closure of universities.
“We know what it means in terms of our operation as an economy.
“As vice-chancellors, we know what this strike means in terms of our institutions’ reputation but more importantly, we know what it means in terms of the future of the youths.
“Our retreat must, therefore, identify and support ongoing efforts by the government and the ministry of education to end this strike, by putting credible measures of ensuring stability in our campuses.”
The Minister of State for Education, Mr Goodluck Opiah, urged the vice-chancellors to maintain their key role in ensuring adherence to their mandate.
