ASUU Strike: Senate President, Mark, asks lawmakers to proffer solution

The universities have been on strike for three months.

The Senate President, David Mark, on Tuesday called on lawmakers to proffer solutions that would end the protracted strike by university lecturers, ASUU.

ASUU has been on strike for almost three months, since June 30.

Mr. Mark made the call in Abuja at the conference of the National Assembly and 36 state Houses of Assembly Committees on Education with the theme: "Transforming Nigerian Education Sector."

"The persistent strike actions by ASUU have had tremendous impact on the quality of our education system. It has become necessary for us to initiate a legislative solution to the problem.

"The universities have to ensure they pass out marketable graduates that can stand the work environment and add value where required," Mr. Mark, who was represented by the Senate Minority Whip, Solomon Ganiyu, said.

According to him, there is need to make the university curriculum entrepreneurial such that graduates can be self employed.

He called on the Federal Government, ASUU, and the 36 state committees on education to urgently come to an agreement to resolve the dispute.

Mr. Mark also called for private sector participation in the education sector, especially in evolving policies.

Also speaking, the Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, said addressing the challenge of quality education was the responsibility of all Nigerians.

"We must continue to take close look at areas that we can make input for better education outcome. Be it parents, teachers, government officials or civil society, we have specific roles to play," Mr. Wike said.

The minister commended the role of the National Assembly in transforming the education sector.

"The fact that the appropriation for education has increased by almost 100 per cent in the past three years is a testament of the cooperation between the executive and the legislature in the drive to promote quality education," he said.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Education, Uche Chukwumerijie, said the standard and quality of the educational system and the capacity to innovate determine the pace of development of any nation.

Mr. Chukwumerijie said the committee, after interacting with key officials at federal and state levels, convened the conference "to mainstream its findings of huge differences in educational funding and provisions among states.''

(NAN)