Disrupt learning no more!

Undergraduates of local universities breathed a huge sigh of relief on hearing the news that the prolonged strike by the non-academic staff of universities had been called off. The air was thick with their joy and thrill on realizing that their stalled academic activities could be resumed forthwith. We partake of their happiness and request the quarters concerned to ensure that the doors of our universities remain open for the resumption and continuance of undergraduate academic activities in particular.

However, it is a pity that the work stoppage by the non-academic staff of our universities was allowed to drag-on. As we mentioned a couple of days back, strikes of this kind should not be allowed continue indefinitely. At the first sight of problems of this kind, the authorities need to engage the disaffected parties concerned in talks aimed at quickly defusing the issues in dispute, without permitting them to bourgeon into full-blown crises. However, these requirements were either ignored or taken lightly and the problem was allowed to aggravate by those who could bring about a resolution. The end results were a prolonged paralysis of our seats of higher learning and the steady dampening of the spirits of our undergraduates.

However, although late, the authorities did engage the trade unions of the striking employees and there apparently were some fruitful discussions which led to a resolution of the strike. It would not be irrelevant to mention that in our editorial of last Tuesday titled. 'Resolve this strike', we called on the sides to the dispute to negotiate an end to the crisis without further delay. The strike was called off on Tuesday evening and it seems that our exhortations were heeded by at least some.

Hopefully, there would be no more disruptions to the academic activities at our universities. This hope is occasioned by the widespread concern that the academic staff of our universities would, next, resort to strike action, citing salary-related grievances, which they say are yet to be resolved. Should this come to pass, our universities would return to the deplorable and distressing condition in which they were prior to Tuesday. The learning process would be severely affected and our undergraduate population compelled to contemplate an uncertain and bleak future.

We caution against impatient strike action by our university Dons. Precipitate strike action in whatever sector in this country has not brought any relief worth speaking of to the strikers. On the contrary, such actions have only sown misery and hardships for the people and the strikers concerned. Our Dons could rest assured that the authorities would in no way be affected by their strikes. If at all any gains have been achieved, they have been the results of rational and patient discussion between the strikers and the authorities. Accordingly, there is no alternative to patient and rational dialogue in these situations.

Besides, our strikers need to always bear in mind the larger public interest. The party which would be affected most by strikes at universities, launched by both the academic and non-academic staff, is the student community. Why should the students be compelled to suffer for perceived issues the academics or non-academics have with the country's authorities? Why should the learning process be held up over these questions which should be resolved by university administrations and governments? Unfortunately, it has become the norm almost for the national interest to be sacrificed in the most selfish fashion in these strikes at our principal institutions. While the disaffected must be guided by their consciences, the authorities must move fast to nip these crises in the bud. The authorities reflect a tendency to drag their feet in these situations and this negative mindset could have dire consequences for the country. We urge the authorities to address swiftly any outstanding issues with the Dons.

On the question of social upheavals of the worst kind, this country could be said to have gone through the mill. Delayed remedial action by governments on vital issues and defeated aspirations of the youth of this country and their disenchantments, have bred socio-political cataclysms of the most mind-numbing kind. History must be the guide of the authorities as well as of the Dons. May wisdom prevail!