Incessant strikes: Students of FCE Pankshin threaten showdown

Forum 7 years ago

Incessant strikes: Students of FCE Pankshin threaten showdown

The Students Union Government (SUG) of Federal College of Education (FCE), Pankhsin, Plateau State, yesterday threatened to lead students of the College to demonstrate against the incessant strikes that have bedeviled the college.
The threat was made by the institution’s SUG President, Mr Steve Nkat, in an interview with journalists in Pankshin.

Nkat said that the college had, for some years now, been bedeviled by incessant strikes, “which have posed negative effects on the college; this we won’t tolerate for enough is enough.”

Academic activities of the college came to a stand still on July 1st, 2016 when the College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) commenced an indefinite strike action in protest over what they described as insensitivity of the College’s management to their welfare and plights.

This came three weeks after their counterpart, the non-academic staff union of the institution had embarked on strike in protest of cut in their salaries.

Lamenting the condition of the students, Nkat described the strikes as “strikes too many’’ that has affected the students.

“We are looking at the option of leading fellow students at staging a demonstration that will see us storming the Federal Ministry of Education and the Plateau State Government House.

“We are tired with the issue of coming to school and going back home because of strikes by our lecturers; it has always been a recurring decimal in this college and that we will not tolerate.

“What we don’t know is why we the students are not being considered by these elephants who fight without and end, thereby putting such a burden on us and our parents, ’’ he said.

The SUG President maintained that, “We are law abiding students, who looking for how and ways on how to draw the attention of the general public especially stakeholders to wade into the crises in the college.

According to him, considering the economic challenges and the burden on their parents, the warring parties should sheathe their swords for peace to reign in the college.

He noted that the incessant strikes would have a negative effect on the educational standard of the college as well as smear its good image before the public.

Nkat appealed to the striking academic and non academic staff of the college and the management of the college to find a common ground to resolve in the interest of the students and the college.