The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, on Tuesday vowed that the government would put an end to incessant strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other trade unions in the education sector.
“The president has directed that not again, not again ever in this country will ASUU or tertiary institutions, trade unions, teachers, lecturers go on strike,” Mr Alausa said during an interview on Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’, Tuesday evening.
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He said the government would achieve this through dialogue, maintaining a good relationship with union heads and meeting the demands of the unions. “Lately, we have not met all their requests, but we are working assiduously to meet those requests,” the minister said.
ASUU has frequently embarked on strikes to demand better welfare, university funding, and autonomy. The strikes have severely disrupted the academic calendar across Nigeria’s public universities, causing delayed graduations, student frustration, and brain drain. Education quality also suffers, and Nigeria’s human capital development is hampered.
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One significant strike occurred from 14 February to 14 October 2022, lasting eight gruelling months. ASUU’s reasons included the government’s failure to implement the 2009 agreement, specifically regarding university revitalization funds and earned academic allowances. They also rejected the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) for their University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS).
This protracted strike, like others, highlights deep-seated issues in Nigeria’s public university system, leaving students and parents in limbo and threatening future industrial actions.
Mr Alausa also apologised to the staff of tertiary institutions for the delay in the payment of salaries they experienced in previous months. He noted that he was working closely with the Minister of Finance to ensure that salaries are paid much earlier.
“I will use this medium to apologise to them and plead with them to be patient with us. As a government, we are working to ensure that you get paid much earlier in the month, or probably before the last day of the previous month.
“I have met with the Minister for Finance, and he’s given me assurance that that will be taken care of.”
Earlier this month, the ASUU directed its members to stay away from work in branches where June salaries remained unpaid.
The ASUU president, Chris Piwuna, said the union was ready to escalate the situation if July salaries were delayed.
The delay in the payment of salaries of staff of tertiary institutions has been attributed to the removal of academic institutions from the federal government’s Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
Academic unions, particularly ASUU, kicked against IPPIS, arguing that the centralised payment system violates university autonomy and fails to accommodate the peculiarities of academic work.
After a prolonged battle between ASUU and the government, the Federal Executive Council approved the union’s request to use the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), a payment platform the union argues provides greater flexibility.
Diaspora bridge initiative
During the interview, the education minister shed light on a novel initiative, ‘Bridge Initiative’, a digital platform meant for connecting diasporan professionals with tertiary institutions.
READ ALSO: UPDATED: ASUU threatens nationwide strike over delayed salaries
“This is a coordinated, technologically-based platform that we are using to connect our diaspora professionals with our local tertiary institutions, our universities, our polytechnics, our colleges of education, and our research institutions.”
Mr Alausa noted that the initiative came as a need to reintegrate the diasporan professionals into the country.
He explained that both universities and diasporan professionals would register on the initiative’s website. The nature of the initiative is hybrid, online, and offline.
Mr Alausa disclosed that the professionals would serve as volunteers, but the cost of transportation and accommodation for those travelling into the country would be offset by the government.
“The government will pay for your flight, will pay for your logistics while you’re here, including feeding, accommodation, transportation.
We will provide all those logistics for you, free of charge, through the government. The only thing we won’t pay you is a stipend, because you don’t need it.”
Mr Alausa also clarified that the Bridge Initiative is open to professionals within Nigeria who would be willing to volunteer.
