ASUU kicks against reopening of Universities

Members of the Academic Staff Union of University ASUU has kicked against the reopening of Universities in Nigeria, stating that institutions were not ready for safe resumption.

Some of the union’s chairmen commented in separate interviews with PUNCH, that the government has not put measures in place for the safe reopening of the schools, amid the rising cases of coronavirus in the country.

Chairman at the Obafemi Awolowo, University, Osun State, Dr Adeola Egbedokun, said no preparations has been made in classrooms and hostels.

“COVID-19 is very real and this second wave is as real as described. We cannot afford to toy with our health and our dear students’ health in the name of resumption, which is politically motivated,” Egbedokun said in an interview.

“There are no preparations for safe re-opening of the universities and I think parents must insist on safe re-opening. The current classroom and hostel configurations in our universities do not in any way conform with the PTF (Presidential Task Force) on COVID-19 protocols. There is no way universities can achieve that. I have said this elsewhere, that rather than for the government to have addressed the obvious deficits in the public universities during the lockdown and strike, they were playing to the gallery.”

The Chairman of ASUU-FUNAAB, Dr Adebayo Oni, said in an interview on Sunday that conducting physical lectures with students under the current circumstances of the lecture halls, would be more disastrous.

“The lectures halls are overcrowded. As of today, in my campus, I have not seen any facility for hand washing Who is to provide sanitisers? Do you expect lecturers to provide sanitisers for themselves?

“Fumigation of the environment from time to time should be done. How do you cope with students’ surge and the challenge of power supply?”

“It is a threat to the resumption of academic activities.

“The fact is that under this circumstance and looking at the threat of the figure, going physical with students would be more disastrous. Conducting physical sessions, physical lectures with students would be more disastrous.

“The truth of the matter is that we now propose a mixed model of online teaching and probably some level of physical instructions.

“Even online teaching also comes with its facilities which are not readily available.

“We don’t want to be pessimistic to say that it is not workable. However, it will be at the risk of our lives and our students’ lives if the government’s required facilities are not provided.

“The truth is that the facilities to cope with the pandemic are not available in our institutions. It appears the government is not ready and our institutions are not helpful.”

The Chairman of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University branch of ASUU, Dr Musa Babayo, said in a text message sent to PUNCH that the government and institutions did not show any sign of seriousness in handling COVID-19 issues when the union was on strike.