TESCOM commemorates 2024 World Teachers’ Day with a colloquium

By Dada Jackson

The Lagos State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) has commemorated the World Teachers’ Day with a colloquium held at Ikeja Senior School Hall, Bolade, Oshodi, Lagos.

Speaking at the programme with the theme “Valuing Teachers: Voices Towards A New Social Contract for Education’’ the Chairman of the Lagos State Teaching Service Commission, Mrs.Victoria Mopelola Peregrino, disclosed that the event was put together as a sort of training with blend of lectures, symposium and networking to appreciate Lagos teachers.

She disclosed further that the colloquium which is the second edition is meant to be an annual initiative, designed to bring teachers in Lagos public schools together to brainstorm on topical issues that is expected to further inspire, educate and improve their skills in the teaching careers.

Mrs. Peregrino who was represented by the Director, Teachers Education and Capacity Development, Mrs. Aloba Bidemi, admonished participants who are mainly teachers drawn from all the education districts in the state to continually avail themselves of numerous symposiums and training opportunities for self-development and to keep abreast of emerging trends in the teaching profession as new techniques of teaching are evolving and should not be left behind.

She pledged the support of Lagos State Government through the Teaching Service Commission to continually train and equip teachers with requisite training, qualifications, good remunerations and improved working conditions.

Also speaking at the event, Commissioner IV representing Badagry Division at the Teaching Service Commission, Mrs. Abimbola Adeola Idowu, appreciated the efforts of teachers in Lagos State public school, noting that teachers are important change agent who must be valued by everyone in the society to bring about social, cultural, economic and scientific transformation of any nation.

She encouraged teachers to imbibe the new social contract needs which allow teachers to think differently and more professionally about the teaching and learning techniques that provides for less supervision of teachers.

Guest lecturer at the Colloquium, Aare Adebayo, spoke extensively on the need for teachers to value themselves and be appreciated by the government and parents.

He noted that the success of a nation depends largely on a well-motivated and inspired teachers who molds and shape the characters of men from school ages..

The colloquium, which is to herald the World Teachers Day statutorily fixed for every 5th Day in October, had in attendance teachers drawn from the education districts across the state, representative of the Lagos Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, directors from the Teaching Service Commission, amongst others.

Universities on verge of collapse over huge electricity bill – ASUU

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has warned that most Nigerian universities are on the verge of shutting down over  “unbearable cost of electricity”, saying the electricity bills of some universities run between N200m to N300m monthly.

President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, stated this on Thursday during the opening session of a two-day national conference convened by ASUU in Abuja with the theme: “Nigeria in a State of General Crisis: The Search for a New Path to Development.”

Osodeke said, while public universities receive N15m monthly from the federal government as running costs, the classification of electricity consumers into bands has increased the cost of most universities.

The university don argued that the rise in electricity cost was hampering the administration of most public universities in the country, adding that this has forced some universities to channel their internally generated revenue to the running of their operation.

“We are so challenged. But let me give you a quick example, the University of Lagos; University of Ibadan; Ahmadu Bello University, and the University of Nigeria, Nsuka. What they get from the government account for the overhead running of the university in a month is N15million.

“Meanwhile, the University of Lagos needs about N200 million naira to pay the electricity bill. It is this IGR that you talk about that is used to pay for the electricity. One of the universities today is closing down because they have been given an electricity bill of N300 million.

“What the government gives you to run the system is N15 million, and you get a bill for electricity alone of N300 million. Where is that money coming from? You have to run the laboratories. You have to run the diesel. You have to run the fuel for vehicles.

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“That is where the IGR is going today. Not being able to run the system, to buy books in the library, to run your library, to earn those things. They are all part of their so-called IGR, and that is what they talk about.

“But you know what? A government that will give just N15 million for UNILAG to run, will in turn, give one Senator N21 million a month. The government gives a system N15 million, but an individual gets N21 million. That’s where our priority is.

“For whatever reason, they have refused to fund the university systems as it was in the earlier part of our history. From the way we are going, if nothing is done, many universities will close up because they can not afford the so-called Band A and Band B,” Osodeke quipped.

Lamenting the dire situation of some academics in the country, the ASUU President said farming has become even more lucrative for lecturers, especially when a professor is left at the mercy of earning less than N300,000 per month and still has to cater for his family and publish journals.

Osodeke also criticised the proliferation of universities in the country, warning that they were merely running on skeletal manpower as most of the lecturing staff were out of the country searching for greener pastures.

He described the situation within the university system as very disturbing, stressing that most of their members are dropping dead.

On his part, the President of NLC accused the federal government of failing to fulfill all the agreements it entered with organized labour.

The NLC leader said the government has stopped the payment of the N35,000 wage award since February and has also failed to fulfill its promise to make the refineries work.

Ajaero urged all the university-based unions to come together and declare a day of national action to force the government to reposition the education sector.

Universities on verge of collapse over huge electricity bill – ASUU

Polytechnic lecturers threaten strike, give 15-day ultimatum

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has given the Federal Government a 15-day ultimatum to address their unresolved demands or risk industrial action.

This decision was announced by ASUP National President, Mr. Shammah Kpanja, during a press briefing following the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on Thursday in Abuja.

Kpanja explained that the ultimatum was necessary due to the government’s continued inaction on several critical issues within the polytechnic sector.

“Our union hereby issues a 15-day ultimatum, starting from Oct. 7, for the proprietors of public polytechnics to address these issues,” he said. “If by the end of the ultimatum nothing is resolved, the union’s NEC will reconvene to determine a course of action to address the situation.”

He further noted that union members across various zones and chapters have been instructed to prepare for action, which could include congresses, peaceful protests, and media campaigns.

“It is our hope that within this 15-day period, the government will take steps to resolve these matters and avoid a complete shutdown of the sector,” Kpanja added.

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The union’s key demands include a review and reversal of actions that contradict the Federal Polytechnics Act and other governance frameworks within the sector. Additionally, ASUP called for the immediate review of the 2023 polytechnic schemes of service, which had been suspended, as agreed during the July 2024 tripartite meeting.

Other demands include the release of the second tranche of the NEEDS Assessment intervention for polytechnics and Colleges of Technology, cessation of any actions that undermine the responsibilities of polytechnic academic boards in student admissions, and the inclusion of negotiated academic allowances in the budget.

“Immediate implementation of the approved 25/35 per cent salary review for all public polytechnics and payment of accrued arrears must also be done without delay,” Kpanja emphasized.

He further highlighted the need for the release of funds for the long-overdue CONTISS 15 migration arrears for lower cadre staff and called for the recommencement of the renegotiation of the ASUP/FGN 2010 agreement.

Kpanja concluded by stressing the importance of issuing the reviewed conditions of service to facilitate the implementation of promotions in state-owned institutions and to clear outstanding promotion arrears in federal polytechnics and Colleges of Technology.

“In line with these demands, and in our commitment to advocating for a functional polytechnic education system, we hope the government will act swiftly,” he said.

Polytechnic lecturers threaten strike, give 15-day ultimatum