The Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Ebonyi State University Chapter, Dr. Ikechuku Igwenyi, has said Federal Government’s forceful directive that lecturers should go back to the classroom was not only barbaric, but was capable of worsening their already debilitating situation.
This was as the university don pointed out that the authorities’ decision to drag ASUU to the Industrial Court was an indication that it lacked the power to conciliate and negotiate.
He stated this, on Tuesday, in Abakaliki, while reacting to the Federal Government’s Monday directive that the striking nation’s lecturers should return to the classroom, adding the current scenario had constituted a national shame.
He said, “ASUU is an academic Union of intellectuals, who are distinguished in excellent service of human development, character moulding and informed learning. To be a University Don, which actually begins at the level of a Senior Lecturer, one must have spent at least twenty years of uninterrupted scholarship from Primary school certificate to Doctor of Philosophy with scholarly articles published in highly ranked journals.
“Academic staff members have core mandates of teaching basic concepts and applied knowledge, research and community development. This by implication means that lecturers guide students to academic excellence by leading them to the fountain of knowledge and academic freedom. This can only be achieved where there is autonomy, proper funding, regular visitation, proper remuneration and incentives as well as placing such institution on a proper competitive mode to attain a world class standard. These are the reasons for University autonomy, which helps to guarantee independence from political effect and undue influences that disrupt academic calendar and occasion incessant strike actions.
