by crossriverwatch admin
The Joint Action Front, a socio political pressure group began their South South zonal rallies to create awareness amongst citizens on the insensitivity of the Nigerian government to the crises of the educational sector.
Beginning with the Save Public Education protests which had earlier taken place in Lagos, the train moved to the Botanical Garden, Mary Slessor Avenue Calabar on Tuesday 27th March, 2013.
While addressing the protesters during the protest in Calabar, the Secretary of JAF, Comrade Abiodun Aremu reminded the public of the role that Calabar has played in the struggle with the likes of Margaret Ekpo, Esko Toyo and Eddy Madunagu amongst others.
Aremu said the rot in the Nigerian educational system is a clear demonstration of the insensitivity of successive governments in the country.
He said the Save Public Education Struggle in collaboration with the Academic Staff Union Of University (ASUU), Non Academic Staff Union (NASU), National Association Of Nigerian Students (NANS) and Some Civil Society Organisations is aimed at sensitizing the public on the need to know why government officials are not taking education, which most of them got free in their time, serious.
He said, “Central to save public education campaign is to insist that government in Nigeria must fund education in line with international standards of 26% budgetary allocation and make education tuition free at all levels.
“The Nigerian teacher, lecturer and non teaching staff are the poorest paid all over the world, yet the Nigeria’s exploiting class which include the President, Governors, Local Government Chairman etc, earn the highest jumbo pay in the world.
“Government in Nigeria today operate anti-poor policies and are not bothered about public education.”
He said good and quality education which is a right of every citizen has been made impossible by those in government. He enjoined public spirited individuals who have the interest of the people at heart to join in the protest.
On their part, senior members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU University of Calabar Chapter, Comrade Okon Ette Ekanem, Ogbona Kalu and the chapter vice Chairman Dr. Okeme Isaac lauded the effort of JAF in seeing what others are not seeing in the education sector.
They promised to mobilize their members to join the protest to save the nation education sector.
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