Lecturers in tertiary institutions in the South-East region have said that they are marching to the much-touted South-South Education summit (SEES) to let stakeholders know that there can be no short-cut to academic excellence other than hard work on the part of students and adequate/consistent funding by proprietors (governments).
Luke Uzoigwe, the vice chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Imo State University (IMSU) chapter, an engineer, made the declaration when the organisers of the SEES paid them visits to meet stakeholders such as university lecturers and administrators in the region.
The two-day summit is being organised by a private sector initiative led by Praid-Applied Ventures, a licensee of Applied Scholastic International, which holds on May 9 and 10, 2013, at Imo Concord Hotel in Owerri, Imo State capital. According to Uzoigwe, an enthusiast for educational development, the team‘s visit has encouraged him and his executives from at least the 11 faculties in IMSU to participate.
The ASUU leader stated: “They will not be helping themselves by missing it, rather they will be there to contribute to the communique that will be delivered to all parts of Nigeria so that students will know the importance of education as at now.”
He said he saw the effort of the SEES organisers as complementary to the one made by ASUU over the years by telling government that education standard in Nigeria must follow the benchmarks of 26 percent for UNESCO, ILO and UNICEF. He regretted that the current level of two percent voted to education in the annual budgets would not lead to growth in the education sector.
For Imo State, Uzoigwe said the level of investment has increased especially with paying of school fees for students. “I wish it continues so that other people coming after him can also continue with free education so as to allow more people to access education in the state.”
The ASUU leaders defended lecturers on the issue of falling standards and award of grades but observed that some students that were not sound enough to study in a university have found their way there, setting traps and casting aspersions on lecturers. He said ASUU has disciplinary procedures for erring lecturers, saying those who wanted to know the true records of things should come to the universities instead of staying far away to cast aspersions.
He however admitted that not all lectures were free of blame but advised students to work very hard as a fundamental step for success.
IGNATIUS CHUKWU
