COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE INCESSANT STRIKE BY ACADEMIC AND NON-ACADEMIC STAFF UNION OF UNIVERSITIES ON STUDENTS ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE: SELECTED UNIVERSITIES AS A FOCAL POINT

Abstract

This paper presents an Analysis of Incessant Strikes by Academic and Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities on students Academic Performance in Nigerian Universities: Chosen Universities in Nigeria As A Focal Point.  The history of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)’s strike can be traced back to 1978, the period of the beginning of the decline in the oil boom, when the country faced the consequences of the failure by its rulers to use the oil wealth to generate production and a social welfare system. This time around, it takes a different dimension in the history of strikes in Nigeria with all the unions jointly embarking on strike just to drive home their numerous demands for better conditions of services and revitalization of Universities. Military dictatorship had eroded deeply the basic freedoms in the society. Academic freedom and university autonomy were casualties of military dictatorship. The funding of education, and some of universities, became poorer. The factors required a changed orientation of the unions. Comparative Analysis of strikes by Academic and Non-Academic Staff Unions in Universities with particular reference to the chosen Universities in Nigeria were brought to the fore while the objectives of the study are well spelt out.  Hypotheses were postulated and the Group Theory was used to explicate the works.  Data were obtained from both primary and secondary sources. From the primary sources, the survey method, that is, the use of questionnaire designed and adopted. Data obtained from this method were analyzed with the aid of Simple Percentage.  Thereafter, the five researchable hypotheses were tested and accepted while the null hypotheses were rejected.  The implication is that there was relationship between the dependent and independent variables.  Based on the findings of the study, recommendations were made that adequate measures should be put in place by government and all the stakeholders of Academic and Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities etc to check incessant strike in the educational system; and conclusively that government owned Universities should emulate private school owners by avoiding strikes and intensify efforts to convince ASUU on the evils of strikes to see that students would have enough time to study so that  they can be able to face challenges in the Labour Market. This paper painstakingly appraises several of these issues and concludes that all stakeholders in the Education sector and federal polity should thread softly, be objective, rational, altruistic and magnanimous in order not to make the existence of true federalism (social, political, educational and economic cohesive existence of the people, peace and tranquility) a fleeting illusion and a mirage.