Strikes key factor derailing Nigeria’s human development index, says NECA

As academic activities return to all levels of tertiary education in Nigeria following the end of ASUU and ASUP industrial actions, it is important to understand that employability rating is a function of serenity of academic environment including government’s policy decision that on a yearly basis frustrate students’ readiness to acquire knowledge with which they will unleash in the labour market on graduation.

However, incessant industrial actions by University teachers and workers every year in the last 10 years have been adduced as a key factor that compounds Nigeria’s Human Development Index (HDI), ranking.

As at 2017 statistics, Nigeria sits in a pitiable 157th position of the 189 countries assessed within the period.

Accordingly, the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA), has decried the sequence of strikes by university and allied institutions teachers and workers, saying “strike was worsening the employability of graduates of Nigerian universities”.

In a statement signed by NECA’s Director-General, Mr. Timothy Olawale and made available to Business Hilights in Lagos, the body averred that “The news of the calling off of the strike came as a huge relief and we would like to commend ASUU and the Federal Government for going through the tortuous process of arriving at an agreement”.

“We believe this was done in the interest of students and the nation at large. Though the calling off of the strike is commendable, we are deeply concerned about how the ‘annual’ strike continues to be a recurrent issue in our educational system. It has become almost impossible for students in tertiary institutions to have one session at a stretch without interruption.

“The three months’ strike has further cemented the perception of the Nigerian student as being unemployable due to the ceaseless interruptions of their academic activities. ‘’In the Human Development Index, HDI, ranking, Nigeria sits in a pitiable 157th position of the 189 countries assessed in 2017.

NECA argued that “If we are desirous of improving our HDI ranking, we cannot continue to treat our education system with disdain. Our focus now should be on ensuring our students learn without any interruption and as a matter of urgency, commence an overall reform of our educational system.”