In the last 40 years, the Nigerian public universities (both states and federal) have seen a gradual decline in terms of output quality and infrastructure, despite huge billions that accrued into them through TETFund and other sources. The declining output quality and infrastructure became the reason for the over four decades of industrial disputes between the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the federal government. In these years, ASUU had down tools more than 10 times from 1978. It had several altercations with military governments which led to its proscription and seizure of its property in 1988 and dismissal of many of its members at different times.
Since 1976, there were attempts by the Nigerian government to change its role as the provider of education as public good, to regulator of higher education in an effort to commodify university education or make it a "private affair". This is another way of removing its hand from funding public universities. These attempts are the bone of contention between the FG and ASUU. ASUU's stiff resistance over the years - resulting in long closure of public universities and its radicalism stand--has extended the intent of government of "marketization of education" till this day.
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