ASUU berates low education budget, threatens strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, says universities across the country may go on strike in 2024 as a result of the education sector’s short budget and low pay.

The Chairman of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Oshodeke noted on Monday that during the campaign and election earlier this year, President Bola Tinubu vowed to boost the education sector to 15% or more.

Similarly, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation advocated a 26% benchmark allocation for the education sector for member countries.

He complained that Nigeria was the country with the lowest pay for professors in the world.

Oshodeke, on the other hand, stated that ASUU was disappointed when the 2024 education budget was declared to be N2.18 trillion, or 7.9 percent of the total budget.

He underlined that it was the same figure throughout the Buhari administration, adding that if the budget was not increased, there would be no growth in the sector.

Oshodeke encouraged the administration to meet with cabinet members and increase the budget to at least 15 percent of the total.

“With this seven per cent education budget, nothing will change in the sector, it is just as we had during Buhari’s time. Tinubu during his campaign promised to increase the education budget but nothing.

“However, there is still a chance for him to change. But if there is no improvement on this and our other demands, by next year, we will mobilise our people and we can’t stay like this because Oyo State has 15 per cent and Enugu State budgeted 32 per cent for education, but FG is giving less than eight per cent,” he said.