National Association of Nigerian Students and National Youth Council have urged the federal government and striking university lecturers to go back to the negotiation table with the aim of resolving the current impasse.

Rising from a joint press conference on Thursday, the two bodies said the state of education in Nigeria was worrisome, saying all options that could end the ongoing strike must be explored.

A statement endorsed by NANS and NYCN and made available to newsmen reads:

"Nigeria is our only country and we must all do all we can to ensure its rapid development. That is the basis on which we are addressing you gentlemen of the press today on the state of education in Nigeria and the way forward.

"The quality of education in Nigeria is dropping every year though the standard can still compete favourably with what is obtainable in many advanced countries of the world. A lot of factors are responsible for this decline and have been
numerously identified which is why the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) is on strike now for over two months.

"This decline, we must point out is not restricted to our tertiary institutions alone.

"The level of decay of infrastructures in our tertiary institutions is the main reason for the current ASUU strike. Nigerian students have been idle for seventy eight days now. Hence, they have been the devil’s workshop for that time. Little wonder the reported increase in crime and criminality in the month of July and August.

"It is in the light of this that we lend our voices to the so to say new lease of life in the education sector through the cabinet reshuffle to retool the government."