ASUU, Kaduna varsity at loggerheads over school resumption

The management of Kaduna State University (KASU) and the varsity’s branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) are at loggerheads over resumption of academic activities.

The varsity’s management reiterated its April 26 announcement on Thursday that academic activities would resume on Monday, May 9 for the continuation of second semester 2020/2021 academic session.

The varsity’s branch of ASUU, however, countered that academic activities would not resume as it had not pulled out of the on-going strike by the parent union.

“The management of Kaduna State University wishes to reaffirm to parents, students and the general public that academic activities in the university will continue on Monday, May 9, 2022.

“This is in line with the university academic calendar,” the management declared in a statement issued on Thursday by its Public Relations Officer, Mr Adamu Bargo.

The management issued Thursday’s statement notwithstanding a statement issued by the university’s branch of ASUU on May 1 that it had not pulled out of the on-going nationwide strike.

The union, in its statement dissociated itself from the circular released by the university on April 26 asking students and lecturers to resume academic activities on May 9.

The union’s statement was signed by its Chairman, Dr. Peter Adamu, and Assistant Secretary, Dr. Akos Ibrahim.

The union declared that management’s April 26 and May 5 directives violated its position in the current struggle.

“The attention of the union was drawn to a purported circular trending on social media platforms stating that KASU Management has pulled out of the current rollover strike action declared by ASUU.

“Specifically, the memo dated April 26, 2022, directed all members of staff and students to resume academic activities by Monday, May 9, 2022.

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“It is imperative at this point to clarify this and properly inform and educate the public that ASUU-KASU dissociates itself from the purported circular released by the university management.

“It purely violates the position of the union in the current struggle,” the union stated.

The union described management’s circular as a “ploy” to misinform the public, parents and guardians, and to blackmail it.

According to it, the university’s management has a right to open the university while members of the union also have the right to continue with the on-going strike.

“It is important to note that the management of the university is not the mouthpiece of the union and cannot speak on behalf of the union.

“Therefore, the union advises parents and guardians not to allow their children to resume for now until the current rollover strike action is suspended,” it charged.

The union explained that the on-going strike is in the best interest of the university system and no amount of threat would intimidate the branch to withdraw from the current struggle.

The Star