Yobe State University’s branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has kicked against the proliferation of state universities without adequate funds to run them.
The university’s ASUU chairman, Dr Ahmed Ibrahim Karage, stated the position of the union in Damaturu on Friday in a press briefing to press home their demands.
“The situation of public universities in the country is disturbing. There has been an increase in the number of public universities created by federal and state governments with no sincere financial commitment to fund the universities.
“State universities in this zone such as Adamawa State University, Mubi; Taraba State University, Jalingo; and Yobe State University, Damaturu, have cases of gross under funding, ” he said.
He further stated:
“There is no genuine commitment of governments in funding. Close to two decades, the budgetary allocation to education is disappointing. For example, in 2024, only 6.39 per cent was allocated to education in the federal government budget and most of which were not released for implementation.”
Other issues raised by the union include the huge backlogs of unpaid salaries and allowances, increase in school fees as well as failure on the side of governments to implement various agreements reached with the union among others.
“ASUU rejects any attempt to increase school fees without any corresponding inputs from government to adequately fund education. The working class and other masses cannot afford it for now.
“Similarly, we rejected the students’ loan scheme, which to us, is an IMF/World Bank ideology intended to cripple the future of our youths and bastardize our educational system. Instead of the loan, government should give students study grants just as ASUU gives scholarships to students across the nation,” Karage said.
The ASUU branch chairperson stressed that the struggle to better university education is in the best interest of Nigeria and its people.