Group Urges State Governor to Meet Demand of Striking Lecturers

The Education Rights Campaign (ERC) has called on Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, to meet the demands of the striking lecturers of the state's tertiary institutions so that academic activities can resume at the institutions.

Lecturers of Osun State Polytechnic Iree, Osun State College of Technology (OSCOTECH) Esa Oke, Osun State College of Education Ilesa and Ila-Orangun had on March 11, 2013 commenced an indefinite strike to protest what they described as non-contribution of the state government towards the pension scheme among other issues.

Speaking on the industrial action, the group, in a statement issued by its National Coordinator, Hassan Soweto, charged the state government to concentrate efforts on real and genuine reforms in the education sector which would see significant improvement in funding, provision of teaching facilities and employment of adequate workforce.

It also called on Aregbesola's government to stop attacks on the striking lecturers and students solidarising with them, adding that it was an infringement on the democratic rights of the protesters.

The group, which blamed the stated government for the industrial action that had paralysed activities in the state-owned tertiary institutions, noted that the striking lecturers had given ample warning with series of partial strike over the last three weeks.

"At the Osun State College of Education Ilesa, students of the Institution protested in solidarity with the striking lecturers. They were however brutally dispersed with teargas by armed police. Also about four of them have been reportedly arrested. We condemn this kind of attack on the democratic rights of protest by a government claiming to be "progressive". We demand immediate release of the four students.

"We offer our solidarity to the striking lecturers and the Council of Academic Staff Union of Tertiary Institution leading the strike. While supporting their key demands against taxation, on the non-contribution of the state government towards the pension scheme as well as on retirement age, we call on the striking lecturers to also stand against fee hike and for adequate funding of education and for democratic management of schools.

"Without adequate funding of education and democratic management of schools, none of the improvement of working conditions being sought would be achieved on a lasting basis," the group added.