By Obasola Olatunde
The President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Chris Piwuna, has accused the Federal Government of neglecting education, claiming officials do not view the sector’s challenges as a national priority.
Speaking on The Toyin Falola Interviews on Sunday, Piwuna said the indifference of key ministers and government officials has hindered sustainable reforms.
“When ASUU declares a strike, the Minister of Finance sees it as the Minister of Education’s problem; the Minister of Science and Technology sees it the same way. If they understood that economic growth depends on a knowledgeable workforce, education would be their concern too,” he said.
He further criticised the government’s approach to funding, noting that TETFund has been increasingly treated as a marketplace rather than a public good.
“Many officials now suggest TETFund should fund private universities. Self interest and contract inflation have replaced public service,” he said.
Other panellists, including Prof. Francis Egbokhare, highlighted poor leadership, infrastructural decay, and weak accountability as major contributors to the sector’s woes.
Piwuna said ongoing negotiations with the government on salary and other union demands are close to conclusion but warned that proposed offers remain unacceptable.
He stressed that poor living conditions for lecturers have left them in survival mode, limiting innovation and research.
“Some colleagues sleep in their offices with their families. How can such people drive world class research or raise endowments? We are still struggling to move out of the 17th century,” he said.
ASUU has repeatedly resorted to strikes to press for the resolution of long standing issues, including promotion arrears, withheld deductions, and inadequate funding for public universities.