The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) sounded the alarm on Tuesday, revealing that numerous departments and units within Nigeria’s public universities are grappling with staffing shortages due to a wave of lecturer resignations in pursuit of better opportunities.
Prof. Ayo Akinwole, the Chairman of ASUU at the University of Ibadan Chapter, disclosed this distressing situation in Ibadan, Oyo State. He painted a bleak picture of the conditions in Nigeria’s public universities, noting that stress and frustration were palpable among poorly-remunerated lecturers.
Akinwole contended that without urgent intervention, the trend of experienced lecturers resigning and leaving the country would persist. He called for President Bola Tinubu to address the situation by reviewing the conditions of service, encompassing terms, salaries, allowances, and infrastructure.
He expressed dismay over the government’s proposal to establish 32 more universities while existing institutions were grappling with a dearth of resources. Akinwole highlighted the factors driving the resignations, including poor and delayed salaries, unpaid allowances, inadequate infrastructure, a lack of respect for the academic community, and a sense of dwindling hope.
The ASUU Chairman argued against the notion that establishing more universities would alleviate the problem. Instead, he advocated for improving the capacity of existing universities to admit more students. Akinwole emphasized that the ongoing exodus of lecturers to universities abroad poses a threat to the retention of top-quality academic professionals.
He criticized the bureaucratic hurdles in the employment process, citing delays in obtaining approval from Abuja, which hampers swift replacements for resigned staff. Akinwole underscored the need for intentional government intervention to review and enhance the conditions of service, urging a collaborative effort to sustain the quality of education in the country.
