Strike: We’re still considering govt offer, says ASUU – Newstrends
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Strike: We’re still considering govt offer, says ASUU

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  • NANS threatens to shut down all private universities

National President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, says the appropriate organ of the union is still reflecting on the Federal Government’s offer and will make its position known soon.

He denied claims that the union agreed to end its strike on Wednesday, December 9.

He spoke just as the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has threatened to shut down all private universities across the country should the nine-month strike embarked upon by ASUU continue.

“To put the records straight, the principal officers and trustees, who constitute the core of representatives of ASUU at negotiation meetings with the government, are not constitutionally empowered to suspend any strike action,” Ogunyemi said in a statement.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, in a statement, had said ASUU promised to call of the strike by December 9, 2020.

Ngige also said promises made to ASUU could only be achieved if the union returned to work.

But Ogunyemi said, “ASUU leadership did not reach any understanding with government to suspend the strike on December 9, 2020, and there is nothing in the government offer of November 27, 2020 to suggest that conclusion as allegedly claimed by the Minister of Labour and Employment.

“At our last meeting in the office of the Minister of Labour and Employment on November 27, 2020, the ASUU leadership promised to faithfully present the latest government offer to its members through the established tradition.

“The latest offer by government makes proposals on nearly all items of demand by the union with timelines. Among others, the document which was signed by the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, contains proposals on inauguration of the reconstituted FGN-ASUU Renegotiation Committee (1st December, 2020); release of details about visitation panels (1st December, 2020); working on the actualisation of the release of the withheld salaries of ASUU members (Wednesday, December 9, 2020).

“Clause 9 on the document reads, ‘Based on these conclusions reached on items 1-8, ASUU’s leadership will consult its organs with a view to suspending the ongoing strike.’”

He explained that the outcome of any engagement with agents of the government remained an offer which must be taken back to the branches through the various organs of the union.

He stated, “Views and perspectives on offers by governments are aggregated and presented to government agents as counter-offers.

“This trade union strategy of offer and counter-offer is continually deployed until the National Executive Council (NEC) of ASUU – consisting of all recognised chairpersons – finally approves what it considers an acceptable offer from the government. It is only then that any strike action by ASUU can be suspended.”

Ogunyemi also said the strike would have been avoided had the government implemented agreements it signed with ASUU.

The ASUU leader said, “It was a needless crisis in the first place. It happened because government has consistently failed to faithfully implement the agreements it freely signed with the union.

“ASUU members, as stakeholders in the Nigerian university system, are equally worried and embarrassed that those in position of authority, over the years, displayed seeming indifference to the rot and decay in Nigeria’s public universities.”

Meanwhile, President of NANS, Sunday Asefon, while speaking on a Punch Online interview programme, The Roundtable, said the association would shut down all private universities if FG and ASUU failed to resolve the crisis.

Asefon, who lamented that the ongoing strike, which is the longest industrial action embarked upon by the university lecturers, said that NANS would get into a discussion with the Federal Government representatives and ASUU leaders to find a lasting solution to resolve the stalemate in negotiations between the two sides.

However, the NANS President pointed out that if the strike action was not called off as soon as possible after consultations with both parties, the association would be left with no option but to move in and shut down all tertiary institutions in the country.

Education

WAEC introduces variations of papers for 2025 WASSCE exams

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WAEC introduces variations of papers for 2025 WASSCE exams

The West African Examinations Council, WAEC, has announced the introduction of paper variations for the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination WASSCE, to curb examination malpractice.

This new examination format, which will see candidates receive unique questions, will be implemented for the first time during the WASSCE scheduled to take place from April 24 to June 20, 2025.

Addressing the media at WAEC national office in Yaba, Lagos, yesterday, Dr. Amos Dangut, the Head of the Nigeria National Office, expressed the council’s commitment to integrating modern technology in examination administration.

“As an organization that believes in the use of modern Information and Communications Technology, we are excited to introduce Computer-based WASSCE for school candidates.

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“From this year onwards, no two candidates will have the same questions, which is a significant step towards upholding academic integrity,’’ he said.

The 2025 examination will accommodate a staggering 1,973,253 candidates from 23,554 schools, with a gender distribution of 979,228 males and 994,025 females.

This marks an increase in both male and female participants, compared to previous years.

“The statistics indicate a continued growth in female participation, which is encouraging,” Dr. Dangut noted.

To enhance the registration process, the National Identification Number, NIN has been incorporated as a component.

However, Dr. Dangut emphasised that it was not mandatory at the initial stage, to facilitate easier registration.

He explained:  “We wanted to ensure all candidates could access the registration portal without unnecessary barriers.’’

WAEC introduces variations of papers for 2025 WASSCE exams

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US cancels visas for Nigerian, other international students

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US cancels visas for Nigerian, other international students

A sudden wave of visa cancellations has left hundreds of international students including many Nigerians reeling with uncertainty across the United States.

“This started off looking like isolated cases, but now it’s coming fast and furious,” said Matthew Maiona, a Boston-based immigration attorney, reflecting growing concerns among legal experts and advocacy groups.

A recent Associated Press review revealed that at least 901 students from 128 colleges have already been impacted by the cancellations.

While many impacted students come from countries like India and China, immigration attorneys report that no region appears to be immune from the sweeping crackdown. In several cases, students were reportedly flagged for minor infractions, such as traffic violations.

Four students in Michigan have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government, claiming their visas were revoked without explanation. Similar legal actions are emerging across the country, with judges in states including New Hampshire, Wisconsin, and Montana issuing temporary orders to reinstate some students’ legal status.

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In a marked change from previous procedures, universities are now discovering these visa terminations through the federal immigration database—sometimes before the students themselves are notified.

This abrupt policy shift is leaving many students in a state of uncertainty, with some just weeks away from graduation or starting jobs.

With no official response yet from the U.S. State Department or the Department of Homeland Security, confusion continues to grow.

Some students are being told to leave the country immediately, while others remain in the U.S. to appeal the decision—hoping to avoid detention or deportation.

In the meantime, many have adopted new routines: carrying immigration documents at all times and preparing for worst-case scenarios.

“It’s scary,” said a Chinese Ph.D. student at UNC Chapel Hill. “You don’t know if you’ll be the next one.”

 

US cancels visas for Nigerian, other international students

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No UTME candidates will take exam outside state of registration – JAMB

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No UTME candidates will take exam outside state of registration – JAMB

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced that candidates will not sit for the board’s examination outside their state of registration.

The announcement was made by JAMB Public Communication Advisor, Dr Fabian Benjamin, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday.

Benjamin revealed that candidates who sat for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) outside their state of registration and residence were sent to the available mock centres closer to their areas.

According to him, the move was because not all the Computer Based Test (CBT) centres were available to conduct the mock examination.

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Benjamin added that all registered centres would be available for the main exercise.

“If centres for mock in Abuja are filled up, and there were available centres in Nassarawa State, candidates will be sent there,” he said.

He, however, added that it was unlikely in the main exercise because there will be more centres conducting the main examination: no candidate would be sent outside their state of residence.

Benjamin further disclosed that early UTME registration also determines the proximity of a candidate’s centre.

If a centre was already filled up, the candidate may be assigned any available centre within the state.

 

No UTME candidates will take exam outside state of registration – JAMB

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