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We condemn the strong-arm tactics of the government
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We call of striking workers and students to organize united
protests
The Education Rights
Campaign (ERC), Osun State Chapter condemns the indifferent attitude of the
Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola-led Osun State government to the ongoing strike of the
teaching and non-teaching staff unions of tertiary institutions in Osun State.
The failure of the Aregbesola government to accede to the genuine demands of
the striking workers has again knocked a big hole in the much touted education
reform of the government. It has actually exposed the barrenness of the
so-called ‘education wonder’ of the government.
The strike, which started
more than three months ago, has brought tertiary education in Osun State to
standstill. More than this, this strike, which is second in the last three
years, shows that the Aregbesola government has deep-seated hatred for tertiary
education and workers. It is more repulsive that the same demands which caused
the previous strike are still unattended to by the government, prompting the
current strike.
Moreover, we condemn the
directive announcing resumption of schools and ordering striking workers to
resume without meeting any of the demands of the workers. This action of the
government is to say the least ridiculous. For a government that touts the
principle of democracy to resort to anti-democratic method, associated with the
jackboot military rule, shows the desperation of the government. This method,
which is aimed at inciting students against workers, will surely fail, as it
was based on a very poor premise of ‘might is right’. We call on Aregbesola’s
government, if it still has any iota of self-dignity to accede immediately to
the demands of the striking workers, and allow the schools to resume.
We commend the striking
unions, under the banner of CASUOSTI (Council of Academic Staff Unions of Osun
State Tertiary Institutions) and non-academic unions, for rejecting the
arm-twisting method of the Osun State government. We call on them to take the
struggle forward by organizing mass actions including protests, along with
students, parents and the poor, across the state. This is the main strategy
needed to defeat the government. The attempt of the government to break the
strike by threatening striking workers shows that concerted actions are needed.
This is why the striking workers need to organize mass activities including
public enlightenment through leaflets, posters, etc, rallies and protests
across the state.
We also call on student
unions in various tertiary institutions in the state not to be hoodwinked by
the propaganda and divide and rule tactics of the state government. They should
organize, along with striking workers, mass actions to compel governments to
accede to demands of the lecturers. This is because the demands of the workers
are part of the demands needed to improve tertiary education in the state,
which is currently in parlous state. For instance, demand of lecturers for
improvement in facilities in tertiary institutions and employment of more
teaching staffs are demands that students should be raising, as part of the
holistic demands for improvement in education in the state. Students should
align with striking staff unions to build a solid force to compel government
accede to demands of workers and students. Students should also raise their own
demands, especially those relating to adequate funding of education and
reduction of school fees in the state tertiary institutions.
In conclusion, the
failure of the Aregbesola government to resolve the demands of the striking
workers for over three months shows that the government is anti-poor, just like
its PDP predecessor. While the Oyinlola/PDP government left education in a
state of monumental rot, the current Aregbesola government has only been using
propaganda and token policies to divert public resources to private ends. For
instance, while government handed over almost one billion naira to a private
firm, under the guise of procuring free school uniforms for pupils in the
state, the reality is that the government actually duped the state. Currently,
parents have to procure the uniforms at a price that is more than twice of the
market price. Also, the so-called mega-school project of the government, which
has gulped as much as N14 billion, has only seen less than thirty schools, out
of over 2, 100 (two thousand and one hundred) schools, being rebuilt. Worse
still, tertiary education has continued to deteriorate; reeling from one
industrial crisis to another. All this shows the pro-rich character of the
government. Only mass struggle of workers, students and the poor can compel the
government to concede to genuine demands of the working people.
Oluwole Engels
Osun State Coordinator
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