LATEST FROM THE STRIKE - UNICAL VC Wants Nigeria To Emulate Ghana

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, Professor James Epoke, has urged the Federal Government to emulate Ghana by funding the university system with all amounts of dedication and utmost commitment.

In stating this, Epoke explained that to stem the ongoing strike by ASUU, the Federal Government should fund the university education.

Epoke, who stated this in an interview with journalists on Thursday, said adequate funding of university has been part of the demand of the striking union.

The Vice Chancellor said Ghana is funding her university system with greater percentage of her annual budget when compared with what Nigeria spends on university education annually.

“Ghana votes 31per cent of her annual budget to education whereas Nigeria is foot-dragging with 8 per cent. Speaking from the point of knowledge you will know that what ASUU is demanding for is genuine and it’s for the good of the country. Otherwise, why are we sending our children to Ghana? Ghana has prepared their own school and we are sending our children there but we are not preparing our own school. I think ASUU is right for their demand, “ Epoke said.

On the effects of the strike in the University of Calabar, the VC said the plan of the management to commence a new session this year has been thwarted as a result of the strike.

He said except for few final year students who are writing their projects, the other students have vacated school on their own.

“The strike, which is total, has stopped all academic activities, all academic staff have withdrawn their services and we were supposed to start the second semester but we couldn’t so the students have to stay back at home and presently, the university is bereft of students except for some skeletal services here and there particularly students who are writing their project”

“The strike has totally grounded all academic activities in the institution. Already, the academic calendar is shattered. We were planning to see that we end the session by September this year and possibly see how we can commence a new session before the end of the year. But now, it is not possible. We were to conduct our post UME exams early this month, but that cannot take place again as a result of the strike.”

On his perception of the current strike embarked upon by ASUU, Epoke said: “I subscribed to what ASUU is fighting for because education in Nigeria needs a lot of funding; when you look at what our nearby neighbor Ghana is doing with education you will understand what ASUU is talking about.

The Vice Chancellor said it is his hope that the Federal Government would do something for ASUU to ensure that the lecturers go back and the academic activities resume.

“If things are improved, students will enjoy because facilities will be there for them to learn and there education will be better,” he said.