Education

JUST IN: FG Orders VCs To Reopen Varsities, Commence Lectures

Published

2 years ago

September 26, 2022

Editor

The Federal Government through the National Universities Commission has ordered vice-chancellors to re-open schools and allow students resume lectures.

This was made known in a letter signed by the Director, Finance and Accounts of the NUC, Sam Onazi, on behalf of the Executive Secretary of the commission, Professor Abubakar Rasheed.

The letter which was made exclusively available to The PUNCH on Monday was addressed to all vice-chancellors; Pro-Chancellors and chairmen of governing councils of federal universities.

“Ensure that ASUU members immediately resume/commence lectures; Restore the daily activities and routines of the various University campuses”, the letter partly reads.

The PUNCH reports that the national industrial court of Nigeria on Wednesday ordered the Academic Staff Union of Universities to call off its ongoing nationwide strike.

ASUU had been on strike since February 14 to press home the demand for improved funding for universities, a review of salaries for lecturers, among other issues.

Several meetings between ASUU and the Federal Government have ended in a deadlock.

Consequently, the Federal Government went to court to challenge the strike.

The government through its counsel, James Igwe, prayed the court for an interlocutory injunction restraining ASUU from taking further steps as regards the strike, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

The counsel to the Federal Government James Igwe on Wednesday prayed the court to order the striking varsity lecturers to in the interim, return to work, pending the determination of the substantive suit before the court.

He maintained that the matter was not only urgent, but of a great national interest as millions of students have been at home for over seven months.

“Sections 47 of the Trade Dispute Act, TDA, gives your lordship the power to direct that no worker should continue to embark on strike pending when the applications are heard and determined,”
Igwe argued.

Igwe said there was need for the matter to be expeditiously determined to enable university students to return to school, adding that failure to call off the strike would cause irreparable damage to not only the students but also to the nation.

According to him, since the dispute between FG and lectures was already before the court for adjudication, it would be proper and in the interest of justice for the strike to be suspended.

In his ruling, Justice Hamman held that the application was meritorious and deserved to be granted by the court.

While dismissing objections ASUU raised through its lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, SAN, the court held that the strike action was detrimental to public university students that cannot afford to attend private tertiary institutions.

“The balance of convenience tilts in favour of the applicant.

“I hold that this application is meritorious and this application is granted”, Justice Hamman ruled.

The court, thereafter, issued an order, restraining ASUU, “whether by themselves, members, agents, privies or howsoever called, from taking further steps and doing any act in continuance of the strike action, pending the hearing and determination of the suit filed.”

ASUU had since filed 14 grounds of appeal to challenge the order.

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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