ASUU STRIKE: EDUCATION VALUELESS LIKE SEWAGE

EDUCATION VALUELESS LIKE SEWAGE by Maijama’a of the Faculty of Communication, BUK.

Maijama explain that If there is any country on Earth where education is as worthless as waste dump, derided and treated with disdain, Nigeria is the perfect example. It has been Two Hundred and Seventy One days (271), since the Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU embarked upon industrial action, owing to some grievances yet untreated for over a decade. The president, whose all children studied at the UK is, unfortunately, sitting comfortably in the Villa, the Minister of education, Mal. Adamu Adamu, who was in the past a critic of the lackadaisical approach towards education of previous administration is equally sitting comfortably in Abuja, while the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Christ Ngege keeps on making fake promises to the striking ASUU members, thereby leading to delicate agreements that breaks-down on annual basis. How on earth could this be happening in a country that is aspiring greatness one day?

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The prospect of every society actualizing its lofty dream of attaining greatness, relies solely on the level and quality of education it provides to its people, especially the young generation. Nigeria is blessed with academically ambitious people whom if an enabling environment is provided for them, surely, they will rise and shine like a flickering TV screen at the global scene. However, the show of no interest about education by our leaders is killing their zeal and hiding our golden fish in the darkest of dungeon. This is, indisputably frightening and discouraging!

“Collapsing any Nation does not require use of Atomic bombs or the use of Long range missiles. But it requires lowering the quality of Education . . .” is what is boldly written at the entrance gate of a University in South Africa. This is exactly the greatest threat Nigeria is facing. With all the natural and mineral resources Nigeria is proud to have; the crude oil, the this and that, if education continues to be neglected and taken for granted like it is now, I envisage a poor national, with poor infrastructure, poor leadership, poor health condition and terribly uncertain security situation (God forbid, the Almighty).

For Nigeria to revive its former version, a memory tour must be taken into the glory days of the likes of Malam Sa’adu Zungur, Sir Awolowo, Namdi Azikwe, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and Sir Ahamadu Bello, who invested so much in education and who out of their love and patriotism for the education of their people refused to accept the Nigeria’s independence, until the time they were comfortable that their people had relevant and requisite qualification and literacy, which they could be given opportunity to rule. This among other antecedents bespeak nothing but, the enormity of their love education and the educated society they envisioned.

During the 2016 World Economic Forum in Davos, Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau suggested that Canadians’ education was the nation’s greatest resource.

“We need education to enable people to learn, think, and adapt,” he said. “Our natural resources are important, and they always will be. But Canadians know that what it takes to grow and prosper isn’t just what’s under our feet, it’s what between our ears.”