ASUU: I Don’t Believe In Strike – UNILORIN VC – Newstrends
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ASUU: I Don’t Believe In Strike – UNILORIN VC

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Vice-Chancellor of University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem

As the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) prepares for another round of strike, the Vice-Chancellor of University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, has advised the lecturers to reconsider their stance.

Abdulkareem said even as a member of ASUU himself as far back as 1996, he never believed going on strike was the right thing to do.

In an exclusive interview with Daily Trust, the Vice-Chancellor asked the Federal Government and ASUU to devise another means to settle grievances rather than going on strike.

There is currently anxiety across campuses of universities following the ongoing meeting of ASUU on a looming strike.

The union, which is expected to take a final decision through voting, has faulted the failure of the Federal Government to implement an agreement reached with it as far back as 2009.

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Amidst the uncertainty and apprehension in Nigerian ivory towers, the Vice-Chancellor of UNILORIN said the fresh threat of strike is unfortunate, insisting he does not believe in strike.

Abdulkareem also clarified on the return of UNILORIN ASUU into the mainstream national body, saying it was the national leadership of ASUU that sought to reconcile with the local chapter.

While maintaining that he has no regret in brokering the truce, the VC, however, said strike should not always come to the table in resolving grievances.

He said, “Each time we go on strike, my view is still the same. It is bad for the lecturers and equally bad for the students. Continuity breeds or develops something in you that you cannot equate to broken or abridged acquisition of knowledge.

“So I still believe that continuity, sustenance of lectures, learning, and continuous academy should guide us in the way we run our system. If you have grievances with those who are running the institution, you have a reason to raise issues but it should not be to the detriment of the students.

“From primary school up to PhD, I never missed one day in my life and it is because I had good teaching, good tutoring, good education and I can only give that credit to my teachers and lecturers.

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“So I never once believed and till now that you are talking to me, that the right thing to do is to go on strike.

“Having said that, if they keep telling me that, that (strike) is the only language the government understands, there must be a way to protect the students. Now, how do we deal with insufficiency or grievances with our financiers? We should take good time and have good plans of how our concerns could be addressed.

“While that is going on, we can still be fulfilling our promise to the students because again when you spend most part of the time sitting down at home, it is not good for any mind whether for the students or the lecturers.

“All my life I would either be in school or at work. So making a mind go idle is a taboo to me even for one day. Your mind should progressively be looking for things to do or improve upon. It should not come to the point where you go home for six months and you worry about whether you are going to resume again or not. That is not how to treat a good mind, you should develop it, not deprive it of the needed growth.”

Daily Trust

Education

NASU, SSANU end strike, direct members to resume work Monday

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NASU, SSANU end strike, direct members to resume work Monday

The Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) have ended their one-week warning strike.

They have therefore directed their members to resume work on Monday March 25.

The leadership of the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) also directed its members to resume duty Monday.

The union however gave the federal government two weeks to pay the withheld salaries.

President of NAAT, Ibeji Nwokoma, said his association had suspended the warning strike and would be meeting with the House of Representatives Committee on Education on Wednesday afternoon.

The Reps Committee had invited the three university – based unions that went on strike alongside the Minister of Education in order to find an amicable resolution of the issues that led to the strike.

In a circular to its branch chairmen, the JAC of SSANU and NASU, directed members in the universities and Inter-University centers to resume duty on Monday.

The circular, titled: “Re: 7-Days Warning Strike”, was signed by Prince Peters Adeyemi, NASU General Secretary and Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, SSANU President.

It read in part, “The leadership of National Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) acknowledge and commend the courage, tenacity. commitment and resoluteness of members of the two Unions in effectively prosecuting the 7-day warning strike action across the branches.

“After evaluating the 7-day warning strike that commenced on Monday, 18th March, 2024, the JAC confirmed that the tempo of the warning strike has been massive, comprehensive and total in most of our Universities and Inter-University Centres.

“It therefore salutes the dedication, resoluteness and loyalty of members to the cause of the Union’s struggle for the payment of 4 months’ withheld salaries. We are proud of your concerted efforts.

“Consequently, you are hereby informed that the 7-day warning strike shall end at midnight of Sunday, 24th March, 2024 and normal work will resume on Monday, 25th March, 2024.

“While assuring you that the struggle for the payment of the four months’ withheld salaries is ongoing, further issues such as Renegotiation of Year 2009 FGN/NASU and SSANU Agreements, Payment of N50 Billion Earned Allowances and others will continue to receive the same attention.

“Therefore, JAC leadership will continue meaningful engagement with the relevant government agencies in both executive and legislative arms and you will be duly notified of the next line of action(s) to be taken.”

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BREAKING: WAEC releases results of first CB-WASSCE

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BREAKING: WAEC releases results of first CB-WASSCE

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Nigeria, has released the results of the first-ever Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination (CB- WASSCE) for Private Candidates, 2024–First Series.

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The examination was held between Wednesday, January 31, and Saturday, February 17, 2024.

A total of 8,139 candidates sat the examination at 140 CBT centres nationwide.

BREAKING: WAEC releases results of first CB-WASSCE

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WAEC blacklists Abia schools over malpractice

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WAEC blacklists Abia schools over malpractice

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC), has barred some secondary schools in Abia State from participating in the regional body’s examination over involvement in examination malpractice.

Commissioner for Education Prof. Uche Eme Uche, who disclosed this during a press briefing in Umuahia, the state capital, said that the state had just been informed by WAEC about the development.

Although she didn’t disclose the affected schools, the commissioner noted that most of the schools affected were private schools.

The Commissioner, who frowned at any act capable of tarnishing the image of the state, said the operational licences of the affected schools would be withdrawn as a deterrent to others.

She explained that the state supported the action by WAEC as it would help halt the lowering of academic standards in schools by some dubious operators.

 Uche said the state had previously shut down some of the affected schools due to their unwholesome practices,but they  continued to cut corners.

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Speaking earlier, Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, said  the state governor, Dr Alex Otti had approved the immediate renovation of 170 primary and 51 public secondary schools across the state.

He said 10 primary and three secondary schools would be selected from each of the 17 Local Government Areas in the state.

The renovation, according to him, is to give a facelift to public schools in the state and make them conducive and attractive for learning.

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