Despite several accusations by some stakeholders for NANS failure to persuade the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities to unveil a lasting solution to persistent strikes in Nigerian universities, the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Sunday Ashefon, on Thursday, portrayed the industrial actions in Nigeria's tertiary education sector as a challenge that is beyond the student union's control.
Comr. Ashefon, revealed this in Abuja, during the 40th anniversary of the Association, where students and members of the association converged at the National Universities Commission to commemorate the event.
While addressing his audience Comr. Ashefon, directed his attention to the prolonged strike.
"Perhaps the tertiary education sector in Nigeria is faced with one of the strongest tests in our history in the last few years.
We have witnessed the total collapse of the sector as a result of the incessant strike."
"This challenge alone is bigger than what any NANS administration could resolve.
However, our nation’s education system is on the brink of collapse, and the entire nation must rise to the rescue."
Where we go from here as a nation is dependent on how we collectively gather the pieces of the collapsing education system and rebuild it together as a nation.
"Nigeria does not belong here; our tertiary education system does not belong here; and this is already taking its toll on the nation’s economy, security, and faith of the young people in the nation and its education system.
We must all rise to the rescue. As we celebrate today, let us remember that we are only gathered here because education is part of our story and life. We must therefore do all it takes to ensure this part of our national life does not become a story of the past," he concluded.