Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, disclosed this on Channels Television while responding to why university lecturers have not called off their industrial action.

He said there is nothing stopping the lecturers from returning to classrooms.

Nwajiuba explained that the government has done what it needs to do, adding that the lingering strike should be blamed on the lecturers.

“The lecturers can be back in the classroom tomorrow if they say they want to go back. There is nothing withholding the lecturers from entering the classroom tomorrow.

“Everything that the government needs to do is done. If you want your salaries, get on the platform and collect your salaries,” the minister said.

The protracted industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, was due to the body’s refusal to enroll on the federal government’s payment platform, Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

ASUU had severally insisted that it won’t enrol on the IPPIS system.

Minister of State for Education, Prof. Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba disclosed this during the daily press briefing of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Monday.

The Minister further added that NECO and NABTEB exam dates would be announced in the coming months.

InsideOjodu had earlier reported that WAEC debunked examination timetable circulating in Nigeria on social media over the weekend.

But with this recent update, it looks as though the federal government has seen through the plight of students.

Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, revealed this while responding to a question during the daily briefing by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 pandemic.

InsideOjodu recalls that President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday announced a gradual lockdown relaxation in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Lagos and Ogun States.

Nwajiuba said, “The president actually addressed the issue of the opening of the economy gradually. Until that is done, we can’t foresee or immediately tell you when all the schools will be reopened.

“It will not be proper for us to simply give you a date. It has to be in tandem with these opening terms. We don’t want to put our children at risk. None of these schools can function on their own without the society.”

The Minister also explained that the West African Examinations Council has not cancelled examination as speculated.

According to him, students will sit for their exams when the government was sure to have taken good care of the pupils.

He noted that the exams was postponed indefinitely so that a definite date would be picked.