Category: Education

The workers ’ unions of The Polytechnic, Ibadan , have started an indefinite strike to press for the implementation of the new national minimum wage introduced by the Federal Government in 2019 .

The unions, which comprise of Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics and the Non – Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics announced the industrial action after a joint congress held .

As of the time of filing this report , students were seen milling around at the main entrance of the institution with the hope that the school ’ s gate would be opened .

The academic activities of the institution after the Christmas break was scheduled to resume on Monday with the start of first semester examinations for the 2019 /2020 session but was disrupted by the protest by the unions.

The SSANIP Chairman , The Polytechnic, Ibadan , Mr Biodun Abegunde , told journalists that the unions were forced to embark on industrial action because the matter was beyond the school ’ s management and needs to be addressed urgently .

Abegunde had said the unions were demanding the implementation of the new minimum wage and the removal of a consultant in charge of the school finances to give room to financial autonomy for the institution .

“ The unions are agitating the implementation of the minimum wage and the removal of a consultant who has been handling and managing the financial affairs of the institution .

“ This is a move towards financial autonomy. So the unions are clamouring for removal of the consultant so that due process can be maintained by the institution .

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Branches of the Academic Staff Union of Universities has assessed COVID- 19 protocols in the universities and said the institutions were not ready for safe reopening .

The chapters of the union , in separate interviews with newsmen , commented on the directive of the National Universities Commission that universities could resume on January 18 , but must adhere to COVID- 19 protocols in hostels and lecture halls .

ASUU said although its members were ready to start work, government had not put measures in place for safe reopening of the schools .

ASUU ’ s concern came amid coronavirus cases and deaths , which rose to 99 , 063 and 1 , 350 respectively on Saturday.

The union Chairman at the Obafemi Awolowo University , Osun State , Dr Adeola Egbedokun , in an interview with one of news correspondents , said classroom and hostel situations in universities did not in any way conform with COVID- 19 protocols .

He said , “ COVID- 19 is very real and this second wave is as real as described . We cannot afford to toy with our health and the health of our dear students in the name of resumption, which is politically motivated.

“ There are no preparations for safe re – opening of the universities and I think parents must insist on safe re -opening . The current classroom and hostel configurations in our universities do not in any way conform with the PTF ( Presidential Task Force ) on COVID- 19 protocols. There is no way universities can achieve that . I have said this elsewhere , that rather than for government to have addressed the obvious deficits in the public universities during the lockdown and strike , they were playing to the gallery . ”

Non – teaching staff in the universities under the aegis of the Joint Action Committee , will on Tuesday , embark on three- day nationwide protests over the government ’ s handling of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System , sharing formula of the N 40 billion earned academic allowances and non – payment of arrears of the new minimum wage.

The committee said other contentious issues that informed the decision include inconsistencies in IPPIS payment and the delay in the renegotiation of the FGN / ASUU /SSANU 2009 Agreement .

Others were the non – payment of retirement benefits to former members , non – constitution of visitation panels to universities , poor funding of universities , teaching staff usurping the headship of non -teaching units, among others.

The JAC which comprised the Non -Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions and the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities directed all its branches to mobilize the members on Monday for the rallies .

The decision to embark on the protest was taken at a meeting by the leadership of NASU and SSANU , in Abuja, where they reviewed the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Federal Government on October 20 , 2020 .

In a communique signed by the SSANU President , Mohammed Ibrahim , and the General Secretary of NASU , Prince Peters Adeyemi , the committee added that the unions would consider other measures , including embarking on an indefinite strike , after the protests.

The JAC was expected to meet on Thursday to review the success of the protest and deliberate on the next step .

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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board says its portal has been reopened for the 2020 /2021 admissions .

The board said opening the portal gives institutions access to upload names of shortlisted applicants for the 2020 /2021 admissions .

The spokesperson for JAMB , Fabian Benjamin , confirmed this in a telephone interview .

He quoted the Registrar of JAMB , Prof Is- haq Oloyede, as saying that admission processes must go through the Central Admission Processing System for approval.

“ Of course , long ago . Any institution , not just public that wants to is already uploading, ” Oloyede was quoted as saying.

” JAMB reiterates that it has not begun the sale of its 2021 UTME and Direct Entry application forms, neither has it announced a date for the exercise .

” The clarification became necessary following fake news that the board has begun the sale and was urging prospective applicants to procure same from some nebulous selling outlets .

” The public is to note that the news of the purported sale of the registration forms is false and an attempt to mislead the public . ”

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The Lagos State Government has ordered all public and private schools in the state to reopen for the second term of 2020 / 21 academic session from Monday , January 18 , 2021 .

Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo , announced this in a statement by the Head, Public Affairs , Ministry of Education, Kayode Abayomi .

In the statement titled, ‘ All public and private schools in Lagos State to resume 18 th January 2021 ’ , schools were also asked to make virtual learning available .

She said this was in line with the Federal Government’ s directive coupled with the second wave of the COVID- 19 Pandemic .

“ All public and private schools below the tertiary level in Lagos State should be reopened for the second term 2020 /21 academic session from Monday , 18 th of January , 2021 .

“ Schools should have flexible plans where students and teachers who feel sick can teach or learn from home via available online platforms . Schools should also strive to avoid any COVID- 19 infection among all students and staff , ” the statement read in part.

She also asked “all schools to make efforts to comply with all the outlined COVID- 19 requirements for resumption of schools .

“ Not just for the improvement of overall school operations but for the safe reopening of academic activities to support the Lagos State Government’ s quest for a full return . ”

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The National Association of Academic Technologists has issued a 14 – day strike notice to the Federal Government.

The university workers are protesting alleged disparity in sharing of the N40 billion earned allowances released to the four university unions.

They are also demanding the release of 50 per cent of the N71 billion accrued allowances being owed members of the union based on the 2009 agreement with the government .

The NAAT President , Ibeji Nwokoma, told journalists in Abuja on Saturday, that the association has written to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige , informing him of their planned industrial action .

He said , “We have written to the government that NAAT as a body ought to have been given a specified percentage of the N 40 bn. You must define it; you can ’ t just say ASUU 75 per cent and others 25 per cent. Let us know the specific percentage you are giving to NAAT as a union .

“ In the MoU we entered with the government on November 18 , in item number 2 b, we demanded that in sharing the N40 bn released , that government should clearly define what is going to be allocated to each union and government agreed to the genuineness of our demands and said NUC ( National Universities Commission ) and Federal Ministry of Education will work it out in conjunction with the union and what they have done negated completely the spirit of that MoU . ”

He said , “ We have given the government an ultimatum of 14 days . We wrote to government 30 th December and we have given 14 working days and if at the end of the 14 working days our demands are not met , we resume our suspended strike.

“ Definitely , we will close down the schools . If anybody thinks that ASUU has called off their strike and that schools will reopen , then let the person dare us . Let us know how effective or how possible it is for schools to reopen when technologists are on strike. ”

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The Lagos State Government says a new date for public and private primary and secondary schools to resume in the state would be announced soon.

Head, Public Affairs , Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mr Kayode Abayomi , made this known .

He explained that schools in the state are not reopening on Monday , January 4 , 2021 , as earlier announced .

According to him , the second wave of COVID- 19 would be a major determinant for the reopening of schools in the state .

He said , “Please , recall that the Ministry of Education earlier announced 4 th of January as resumption date for the second term 2020 /2021 academic session, but this has since been overtaken by the turn of events due to the recent waves of Covid – 19 pandemic .

“ As a result of the spike in Coronavirus pandemic , Mr . Governor announced the indefinite closure of all schools . To this end, kindly be informed that a new date of resumption will be announced as soon as possible . ”

Also , following the increase in recorded cases of coronavirus, Lagos State Governor, Mr . Babajide Sanwo -Olu has directed all State Public Servants on Grade Levels 14 and below to continue working from home till Monday , January 18 , 2021 .

Governor Sanwo- Olu who said the directive excludes essential duty staff , as well as first responders , enjoined all public servants to stay safe and keep adhering to all COVID- 19 protocols in order to rid the State of the pandemic in the shortest possible time .

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The Academic Staff Union of Universities has indicated that it might resume its suspended strike in February if the Federal Government failed to implement agreements it signed with the lecturers .

The National President of ASUU , Prof Biodun Ogunyemi , disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Lagos while shedding more light on the decision of the union to suspend its nine – month strike.

Ogunyemi , said if the government reneged on its promises , members of the union would not hesitate to withdraw their services.

Earlier at a press conference in Abuja , he said the union would as from 12 am on Thursday ( today ) suspend its strike .

The decision to suspend the strike , according to Ogunyemi , was unanimously reached by the National Executive Committee of the union , after considering reports from the national secretariat and various branches .

While assuring Nigerians that ASUU would fulfil its own part of the agreements it reached with government , Ogunyemi warned that the union would not hesitate to resume its suspended strike should government fail to reciprocate the gesture .

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The Academic Staff Union of University, has suspended its strike, ending the industrial action that started since March 2020 .

ASUU National President , Biodun Ogunyemi , made the announcement during a briefing of the union in Abuja .

He said the suspension of the strike takes effect from Thursday , December 24 th , 2020 .

Ogunyemi also said the lecturers sympathised with students who were also their children , adding that “ no amount of sacrifice would be too much to get the matter resolved as long as the government is consistent with its commitments . ”

While warning that the union would return to strike without notice if the government fails in meeting its part of the agreement reached with the university lecturers , Ogunyemi noted that the reopening of the schools , considering the COVID- 19 pandemic , lies with the Federal Government and Senate.

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