Education

ASUU: Fresh Protests Rock Universities As FG Remains Adamant

Published

1 year ago

November 30, 2022

Fresh revelations have indicated that there is no end in sight to resolving the intractable dispute between members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, and the Federal Government.

That the Federal Government’s hard stance on “no work, no pay policy” could fuel another round of crisis in the education sector.

Recall that ASUU had called off its eight-month-old strike in October following an intervention by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Gbajabiamila had brokered peace between the Federal government and ASUU after all negotiations had failed.

Within a few days of his mediation, Gbajabiamila negotiated an acceptable agreement between the duo, with a promise that the government would pay the university workers their withheld salaries for the months they were on strike.

However, early in November, the members of the Union were bewildered following the payment of half salaries for only 18 working days in the month of October to its members by the Federal Government.

Speaking on why ASUU members were paid half salaries for the month of October, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, in a statement issued by his ministry, said the lecturers were paid in pro-rata for the number of days that they worked in October, counting from the day that they suspended their industrial action.

Recall that the Federal government had insisted on implementing the ‘No Work, No Pay’ policy for the period the university workers were away from their duty posts.

However, nearly two months after the academic staff members returned to work, they have continued to lament the unyielding response of the government to their withheld salaries.

Not relenting on their struggle, ASUU mandated its branches to hold a one-day nationwide protest over the payment of half salaries to lecturers by the Federal Government in October, with ASUU members at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), University of Ibadan (UI), amongst others, protesting.

Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ibadan Zone, which comprises the University of Ibadan (UI), Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso and the University of Ilorin, protested on Monday against what they described as the victimisation of their members by the federal government and its agents.

Speaking with journalists during the protest, the Chairman of ASUU, University of Ibadan, Professor Ayoola Akinwole, lamented that despite reaching an agreement with the Speaker, which led to the suspension of the strike, none of the items on the said agreement had been implemented.

He said, “The agreement with the Speaker included the following: The government is going to sign the new salary package, payment of the withheld salaries from March to October 2022

“Payment of the withheld third-party deductions, including Check-off dues from March to October 2022, non-victimisation of ASUU members who took part in the strike.

“Today’s protest has become necessary due to our conviction that the federal government is on a mission to destroy the public universities through inadequate funding and through its war against ASUU.”

He maintained that ASUU has had a historical responsibility to protect the public universities from collapse and fight for its members and the interest of Nigerian students.

Speaking to the DAILY POST on the same issue, the ASUU-UNN branch chairman, Comrade Christian Opata lamented that the government has not been serious about the issue of education.

He said, “The issue is that the government is not being serious about the issue of education in Nigeria, because, one, they pleaded with us to honour the court, knowing that ASUU is a very patriotic and legal organisation; we are law-abiding citizens.

“Yes, we know that there is a subsisting court order, but if we wanted to disobey that court order, we had every right to disobey it because it is a question of our rights.

“The same government that is saying obey the court order, there are many court orders which they have not obeyed. And what is even the bone of contention is something that is legal- an agreement that was signed – and you reneged on it. You reneged on an agreement, and somebody you signed an agreement with is telling you to implement the agreement, and you turn around to punish the person saying the person is obdurate. Well, I don’t know where to situate that.

“So the disappointment even starts from the point of view that the government reneged on an agreement it signed willingly.”

On how the Union members have been coping given the government’s stance, Opata disclosed that many of his colleagues have not let the issue affect their productivity at workplace.

“The issue is that many of them have been teaching, and I am even surprised that many of them are teaching happily. I thought that some of them would be grudging and even victimising students. But even to my knowledge, it has not happened within my university community. The students have been going to classes and having their exams. Some have even finished their exams.

“Tomorrow they shall continue because most of our members did not go for exams today because of this issue of our rally; we held a protest today. So that does not mean that we are on strike; they did it because it is part of the meeting being held.

“The issue is that, for now, they are teaching, our members are teaching. They are attending to students and their projects, even the postgraduate students (Masters and Ph.d),” he said.

On whether the Union will embark on another strike if the government failed to pay them the withheld salaries, he said, “No individual chairperson can decide that because it is only when we meet and we have a decision on that; no branch chairperson can speak on behalf of NEC.”

As it stands, amidst starvation and hunger, members of the Union have vowed not to let down the gauntlet in their lingering fight with the Federal government until their demands are met.

Education

How To Check 2023 WAEC Result On Your Phone Via SMS

Published

9 months ago

August 7, 2023

Editor

The West African Examinations Council, WAEC, has released the 2023 West African Senior School Certificate Examinations, WASSCE, results.

The Council stated that it was able to surmount challenges of insecurity, and cash policy among others, via technological innovation that saw over 91 percent of candidates’ results released 44 days after the examination ended.

WAEC’s Head of Nigeria Office, Mr. Patrick Areghan, said this at a briefing on Monday, at the body’s national office, Yaba, Lagos.

For the students who will be checking results, here are steps to follow.

Step 1: Type: WAECExaminationnumberPIN*Examyear through your phone (there should not be a space in between).

Step 2: Send to 32327.

Step 3: You will receive a message instantly containing your WAEC statement of result.

It should be noted that only MTN, Glo and Airtel subscribers can actually check their WAEC results using this SMS method.

Students can repeat the step if they do not receive your WAEC result via SMS, kindly repeat this step again.

SMS charges will be applied when checking your WASSCE result using text messages.

You will need to have purchased the WAEC Direct Scratch card in order to check your result via text message. The scratch card pin is what is needed in the PIN section of the SMS you will send to 32327.

Candidates who registered for the May/June examination can do also access their results through the portal of WAEC.

Education

BREAKING: 8 States Owing WAEC Won’t Have Candidates 2023 WASSCE Results

Published

9 months ago

August 7, 2023

Editor

Eight states owing the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, for various services rendered, will not have their candidates’ 2023 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE results, released.

This was stated at a press briefing on Monday at Press Briefing Hall, WAEC national office, Yaba, where the body lamented that the inability to pay for services rendered was posing a great challenge in the activities of the examination body.

Responding to a statement on the number of States owing WAEC, the National Office of the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, Mr. Patrick Areghan noted that: About eight States are owing WAEC. We won’t mention them all as some are going to pay.

“However, Zamfara and Niger states are the highest debtors. Again Zamfara did not present any candidate for this year’s WASSCE.” Areghan noted.

Education

NANS Tackles ASUU Over Call For FUTO VC’s Resignation

Published

9 months ago

August 6, 2023

Editor

The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has cautioned Academic Staff Union of Universities ,ASUU, over its call to the Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Technology Owerri, FUTO, Prof. Nnenna Oti, to resign.

It warned the university lecturers’ organisation to rescind from such ugly move or face the wrath of students.

The students’ body which noted that the FUTO vice chancellor had not done anything wrong to deserve such call, accused ASUU of being responsible for instability in the nation’s universities.

Recall that members of ASUU, Owerri zone, had last Friday, demanded the immediate resignation of the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Owerri, Prof. Nnenna Oti, over alleged corrupt practices and anti-union activities.

ASUU, through its Zonal Coordinator, Dennis Aribodor, at press conference in Awka, Anambra State capital,demanded immediate resignation of the FUTO Vice Chancellor.

The union is composed of members from Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Federal University of Technology Owerri, Imo State University, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umuahia and Nnamdi Azikiwe University,Awka.

But reacting to ASUU demand while addressing the media, Sunday evening, in Abuja, NANS’ Vice President,Comrade Ezenagu Victor, while noting that ASUU had long deviated from its core mandate,called on the federal government to proscribe the union.

He said: “It has become expedient to address the unbecoming attitude of the leadership of Academic Staff Union of Universities. The latest of which is the provocative call by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU,zonal leaders for the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology,Owerri,to resign her position over alleged corruption.

“We feel concerned to react to the ASUU demand because the Vice Chancellor of FUTO, Prof. Nnena Oti, is a mentor to many of us, particularly, our female folks. We were shocked when we read about the ASUU demand in most national dailies about the woman who has personified integrity, honesty and transparency. Sequel to this, NANS has been able to carry out investigation by interacting with both students and staff of the institution”.

“Although we were not able to have any discussion with members of FUTO Management as they said part of the issue we wanted to inquire of was already in court. Our finding has shown that the allegations against the vice chancellor were not only unfounded, but also malicious and wicked. Testimonial evidences garnered by NANS points to the fact that the action of the ASUU leaders is a mere political vendetta.”

NANS claimed that the alleged attack on Prof. Nnenna was because of her gender, as well as transparency in the discharge of her duties as Vice Chancellor.

“Those who lost to her during the vice chancellorship contest as well as those who could not use her to achieve their ungodly aims during the national assignment have resulted to using ASUU to grind their axe with her, thus making the university ungovernable,” he alleged.

He spoke further: “We, the National Association of Nigerian Students, wish to draw the attention of ASUU in particular and the public in general, that those fighting the Vice Chancellor of FUTO by proxy are obviously threatening peace and tranquility in the university.

“We are already informed that the disturbance is aimed at causing industrial action at the university so as to bring her to disrepute at the expense of students’ learning. It should be well noted that all industrial disputes have major side effects on students who suffer untold hardship during and after such disputes.”

Some of the effects,he mentioned,include waste of students’ precious time, amounting to the students spending longer years in the university and waste of resources, as student end up paying more school fees.
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