ASUU strike: FG sets up fresh committee to review no-work-no-pay policy, others – Newstrends
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ASUU strike: FG sets up fresh committee to review no-work-no-pay policy, others

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3 years ago

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The Federal Government is set to review some of its hard decisions against the Academic Staff Union of Universities, including the no-work-no-pay policy that have kept striking university lecturers and students at home for the past seven months.

This came on Tuesday where the FG disclosed that it could only afford a 23.5 per cent salary increase for lecturers of all categories, except professors.

Already, the government on Tuesday at a meeting with pro-chancellors and vice-chancellors of universities, constituted a 14-member committee, to review its decision not to pay the striking lecturers for the period they have been on strike and other contending issues.

Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, said at the meeting, which held in Abuja, that aside from the salary increment, the government made other offers regarding the demands of ASUU.

“That the Federal Government can only afford a 23.5% salary increase for all categories of the workforce in federal universities, except for the professorial cadre which will enjoy a 35% upward review.

“That henceforth allowances that pertain to ad-hoc duties of the academic and non-academic staff shall be paid as at when due by the Governing Councils of Universities to which such services are rendered and to the staff who perform them.

“That a sum of N150 billion shall be provided for in the 2023 budget as funds for the revitalisation of federal universities, to be disbursed to the institutions in the first quarter of the year.

“That a sum of N50 billion shall be provided for in the 2023 budget for the payment of outstanding areas of earned academic allowances, to be paid in the first quarter of the year.”

The Director of Press and Public Relations of the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr Bem Goong, who briefed newsmen on the decisions reached at the meeting, said the committee would also look into other contending areas of the renegotiation with ASUU.

He, however, said the issue of University Transparency and Accountability Solution, UTAS, as the payment platform for university lecturers, was not discussed at the meeting, adding that it was also not part of the issues the 14-member committee would tackle.

Goong, who did not reveal the duration of time given the committee to accomplish its task, said the report of the committee would be submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari in no distant time for consideration.

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JAMB arrests 40 impersonators during UTME

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4 hours ago

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April 27, 2025

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JAMB arrests 40 impersonators during UTME

Over 40 persons have been arrested and are facing prosecution for impersonating candidates during the ongoing 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has disclosed.

This comes as many parents and guardians express concern that the 6.30 a.m. resumption time for the exam was too early for candidates, adding that many may have to drive several miles to their examination sites.

The 2025 UTME, which began on Thursday, April 24, will run until Monday, May 5.

According to JAMB, over 2,030,627 students are taking this year’s exam at authorised computer-based test centres across the nation.

A mother of a candidate who claimed to live in Awoyaya, Lekki, Lagos, but whose 14-year-old son was assigned to a centre in Ikorodu, stated that the young guy may miss the exam due to time constraints.

“The examination slip states that candidates are expected at the centre by 6.30am. So, that means my son must be on the road by 4 am. I don’t drive. We don’t have a car. He would have to take a bus. Even if I decide to go with him, how are we supposed to get a bus at that time, and how are we supposed to get to Ikorodu before 6.30am?

“This is wickedness. JAMB should look into this and move the exam forward. 6.30am for an examination is too early.”

Olaoluwa Yinka, a guardian, lamenting on X, wrote, “My younger sister has just travelled today for her UTME tomorrow morning. From Abeokuta, she was sent to Ijebu Igbo by 6.30am. This is very absurd.

“When I wrote JAMB, I did so around 9 am and the heavens did not fall. This CBT is the problem. Students get to the centre, and sometimes the systems don’t work as well.”

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Social media activist, Rinu Oduala, in a statement on X, wrote, “Again, why are you scheduling exams for 6.30am, @JAMBHQ? And expect teenagers to find their ways 50km plus away from home? How can educated people make nonsensical policies for citizens and kids in this country? Does it make any sense?”

A mother, Nnem Chacha-Gold, told this reporter on Saturday that her only daughter had to leave the house at 4.30 a.m. to travel to her exam venue by 6.30 a.m.

“I had to follow my daughter to her centre in Ikorodu from Ejigbo. When I got there, they said we (parents) were not welcome at the centre. I even learnt that candidates slept outside their centres to meet up. I can’t imagine my own child sleeping on the street overnight just to meet up. Goodness!”

Meanwhile, Esther Oladele, a young female candidate aged 16, was claimed to have lost her way to her centre.

Richard, claiming to be her brother, stated that she travelled from Ajah to Epe on Thursday, April 24, but mistakenly boarded the wrong bus.

The post read, “It’s been almost 24 hours since we haven’t heard from my sister. She was going to Epe from Ajah around 1 pm yesterday (Thursday) for her UTME. The last message she sent to us reads thus: ‘I’m scared. I think I entered the wrong car, and my eyes are itchy. E be like say I want to sleep.”

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This spurred numerous X users to initiate a search online, notifying the authorities to look for the young lady.

After nearly 48 hours, Richard returned to X to confirm that Esther had been discovered in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.

Esther’s picture leaked online, showing her in garish apparel and with messy hair.

The flier read, “We are overjoyed to share that Esther is home safe and sound! Words cannot express our gratitude to everyone who played a part in bringing her back. Your reposts, prayers, and unwavering support gave us strength and hope throughout this difficult time. We are eternally grateful for the kindness and compassion of our community.”

Despite the board’s efforts to sanitise the examination process, Benjamin expressed concern about impersonation.

He noted that while other countries have successfully conducted remote exams, Nigeria’s current context makes such an innovation impractical.

“If Nigerians want comfort, let us behave very well. If we are transparent, we can do these CBT exams at home and submit them online. We will just send questions to them, and they will answer and send them back to us. Then, we will grade and send them back the results,” Benjamin said.

“But, you know what will happen if we try to do that. Several countries are doing their central examinations from home. But, can we do that in Nigeria,” he added.

JAMB arrests 40 impersonators during UTME

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Nigerian students abroad call out FG over unpaid allowances

Published

9 hours ago

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April 27, 2025

By

Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Minister of State for Health

Nigerian students abroad call out FG over unpaid allowances

Nigerian students studying under the Bilateral Education Agreement in foreign countries have decried the federal government’s non-payment of their allowances.

The students, who spoke under the auspices of the Union of Nigerian Bilateral Education Agreement Scholars, called on the Minister of Education, Dr Yusuf Tunji Alausa, to review the government’s stance on the payment of their stipends.

According to them, the Federal Government owed each of them $6,720 for the years 2023 and 2024, in addition to unpaid stipends from January to April 2025.

In a recent statement posted on X, the students accused the Ministry of Education of disseminating misleading information about their welfare.

They also rejected the ministry’s claims that all previous payments had been settled and asserted that the host countries were not adequately addressing their needs.

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“The assertion that host countries provide full accommodation and monthly stipends is simply false in many countries. In Morocco, for example, there is no government-provided housing. In Algeria, students get only $70 every four months — that’s not a stipend,” the statement read.

However, the government, through the Director of Press and Public Relations of the Ministry of Education, Boriowo Folasade, has assured the students and other stakeholders of its commitment to fulfilling its responsibilities.

While admitting that the recent fluctuations in the foreign exchange caused the shortfalls in fund disbursements, the ministry said all supplementary allowances for Nigerian scholars have been paid up to December 2024.

The ministry further disclosed that a formal request for additional funding to ensure full payment of all entitlements to affected students has been submitted.

 

Nigerian students abroad call out FG over unpaid allowances

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JAMB delists four centres, arrests 27 impersonators in ongoing UTME

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1 day ago

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April 26, 2025

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JAMB delists four centres, arrests 27 impersonators in ongoing UTME

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has delisted four Computer-Based Testing (CBT) Centres and arrested 27 impersonators during the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

This is contained in a statement issued to newsmen in Abuja yesterday by the Board’s Spokesperson, Dr Fabian Benjamin.

He explained that the CBT centres were delisted for failing to meet the stringent technical standards required for the ongoing UTME.

Benjamin said the delisted centres include Adventure Associate, located behind Sheshe Supermarket off Hadejia Road, Kano, Kano State, and Saadatu Rimi College of Education, Zaria Road, Naibawa, Kano, Kano State.

Also delisted are Penta M & F Technical Services Ltd., Centre 2, 96km Sokoto-Jega Road, Tambuwal, and Penta M & F Technical Services Ltd., Centre 1, 96km Sokoto-Jega Road, Tambuwal.

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“While JAMB commends the 883 centres that have demonstrated exceptional performance, it unequivocally warns that any centre failing to meet ethical or technical standards, regardless of ownership, will be blacklisted,” he stated.

Benjamin urged candidates who were previously scheduled to take their exams at the delisted centres to urgently reprint their examination notification slips to access their new centres and rescheduled dates.

“We regret any inconvenience this may cause, but we will not tolerate excuses from candidates who fail to reprint their slips.

“As of Friday, April 25, 2025, more than 900,000 candidates had successfully completed the UTME, out of the 2,083,600 registered for the 2025 examination,” he added.

In a related development, Benjamin reported the arrest of 27 impersonators who were handed over to the Nigeria Police for immediate prosecution.

JAMB delists four centres, arrests 27 impersonators in ongoing UTME

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