Coronavirus: ASUU opposes reopening of varsities

The Academic Staff Union of Universities on Sunday, January 10, said some of their institutions were not ready for safe reopening.

According to the body, the institutions do not have full systems in place in ensuring that the coronavirus protocols were strictly followed after an assessment.

The chapters of the union commented on the directive of the National Universities Commission that universities could resume on January 18, but must adhere to COVID-19 protocols in hostels and lecture halls.

ASUU stated that although its members were ready to start work, the government had not put measures in place for the safe reopening of the schools.

The union Chairman at the Obafemi Awolowo, University, Osun State, Dr Adeola Egbedokun said that the situation in classrooms and hostels in universities did not conform with coronavirus protocols.

"COVID-19 is very real and this second wave is as real as described. We cannot afford to toy with our health and our dear students' health in the name of resumption, which is politically motivated.

"There are no preparations for safe re-opening of the universities and I think parents must insist on safe re-opening. The current classroom and hostel configurations in our universities do not in any way conform with the PTF (Presidential Task Force) on COVID-19 protocols.

"There is no way universities can achieve that. I have said this elsewhere, that rather than for the government to have addressed the obvious deficits in the public universities during the lockdown and strike, they were playing to the gallery," he said.