ASUU, other unions to organise education summit

Dr Dipo Fashina, former President, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), on Sunday said  that the union would collaborate with other bodies to organise a National Education Summit in Abuja.

Fashina, who is also the Chairman, Local Organising Committee of the summit, told newsmen in Ibadan that the summit would hold between Oct. 27 and Nov. 1.

He said that the unions took the decision because the current education system in Nigeria was dysfunctional.

According to him, the current education system will continue to make Nigeria an appendage to Europe and America.

Fashina added that the summit would ex-ray the education system with a view to restructuring it, to liberate Nigerians.

The former ASUU leader said that there was a need to develop an education system that could serve the interest of Nigeria, adding that the Nigeria education system was one-sided.

“The four main unions in Nigerian tertiary institutions are jointly organising a national education summit, the purpose of which is to look for what will be a liberating education system to Nigeria.

“We want to jointly look at the education system in the universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, primary and secondary schools, and all levels of education.

“We have contacted all interest groups, including States and Federal Government and private owners of schools, to see how to restructure and make education a liberating force for Nigerians,’’ he said.

Fashina said that the summit would come up with the goal of reaching some form of agreement on how the Nigerian educational system can be reconstructed.

“It is supposed to be a radical summit,’’ he said.

Fashina said that Nigerians needed empowerment through an education system that could make them live a descent life where they could provide food and jobs for their families.

The ex-ASUU leader said that for Nigeria to be a major stakeholder in the global system, the nation must be ready to restructure its educational system to promote development.

“Education is the major thing that promotes being at the height of development and we are not there yet,’’ he said.

(NAN)