Awuzie
Normalcy is gradually returning to public universities, following the suspension of the indefinite strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i has assured that henceforth, every agreement entered into by government and any of the unions would be implemented to the letter. THISDAY asked stakeholders if this promise can be taken to the bank
Reacting to last week’s suspension of the two-month strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i pledged that the “federal government is ready to dialogue with every union of higher institutions and even pledging to fulfil every agreement entered into with any of the unions especially the latest with ASUU.”
The agreement covers condition of service, funding, university autonomy and academic freedom, among others.
Condition of service deals with issues like salaries, earned academic allowances, non-salary conditions of service- fringe benefits (vehicle loan/car refurbishing loan, housing loan, research leave, sabbatical leave, annual leave, maternity leave, injury pension, staff schools, provision of office accommodation and facilities), pension for university academic staff and compulsory retirement age, formation of the Nigerian University Pension Fund Administrator and National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
On funding, it recommended that between 2009 and 2011, all regular federal universities would require about N1.5 trillion, while each state university would require about N3.6 million per student.
It identified the source of funding to include federal government, FG assistance to states for higher education, Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Petroleum Technology Development Fund, transfer of landed property, patronage of universities services, fund from alumni associations and private sector contribution.
Other sources are cost-saving measures, duty-free importation of educational materials by universities, setting up research development unit by companies operating in Nigeria, budget monitoring committee, university post-doctoral fellowship, provision for teaching and research equipment and National Research Fund.
University autonomy and academic freedom addressed matters like membership of governing council, review of laws that impede university autonomy, academic freedom, internal accountability and transparency, rejection of sole administrators for Nigerian universities, regulations on pre-degree/remedial programmes, pyramidal structure of academic staff establishment in universities, expenditure on academic affairs. On issues that require legislation the agreement listed JAMB Act of 2004, it recommended that JAMB’s admission processes should be amended in a way that would make it more consistent with both the autonomy and admission powers of universities and their senates.
The agreement also recommended the amendment of the Education National Minimum Standard and Establishment of Institutions Act of 2004.
Federal Government’s commitment was contained in a letter dated January 24, 2012 and signed by the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education, Prof. Nicholas Damachi.
The letter addressed issues such as funding requirements for revitalising the Nigerian universities; Federal Government assistance to state universities; progressive increase of annual budgetary allocation to education to 26 per cent between 2009 and 2020; earned allowances; amendment of the pension/retirement age of academics on the professorial cadre from 65 to 70 years.
Other issues were establishment of the pension fund administrator; governing councils; transfer of federal Government landed property to universities; setting up of research and development units by companies operating in Nigeria and teaching and research equipment.
Government promised to revitalise Nigerian universities through budgetary and non-budgetary sources of funds. It said it would immediately stimulate the process with N100 billion, which would be built up to a yearly sum of N400 billion in the next three years. The intervention it said would be based on identified prioritised needs.
It said state universities would continue to enjoy federal special and other statutory interventions and promised to improve significantly the budgetary allocation to education from 2013 to 2020.
On earned academic allowances, government accepted in principle, the payment of the Earned Academic Allowances (EAA). It however said there was need to work out practical and sustainable ways to do it. Consequently, it said the mandate of the Implementation Monitoring Committee had been expanded to include proposing practical and sustainable ways of paying the allowance, adding that its reports was expected in 60 days.
The letter assured the union that as soon as the legislative procedures for the bill on the 70 years retirement age for academics at the professorial cadre are concluded, the president shall assent to it, not later than the end of February 2012, among other promises.
A visit to the University of Lagos (UNILAG) showed that academic activities were yet to resume in earnest as most students were yet to return to campus. Most of the classrooms were still under lock and key. A lecturer said lectures did not start because a new academic calendar had not been drawn.
Some of the students interviewed preferred to see the promises in action before commending government’s intervention.
Chairman of the university’s chapter of ASUU, Dr. Oghenekaro Ogbinaka, who said the university would need to adjust its calendar to make up for the 42 working days it lost to the strike, said it would not affect the system much.
On his level of confidence in the government, he said though there had always been a problem with implementation among successive governments, the union was impressed with its seriousness and commitment while the meetings lasted.
“From the body language and from the way the government team acted since the strike started, we will give them a pass mark in the sense that from day one, there was a deadline that the negotiation should end on or before the end of January and it happened that way, unlike in the past that the union is totally ignored and the strike will run into months.
Also, all the concerned ministers were available throughout the negotiation, the Minister of Education, Secretary to the State Government, Minister of Labour and a representative from the budget committee was always there and they attended all the meetings. That was why the issues were resolved early.” He added that if government had responded this way in the past, the issues would have been resolved.
He called on the government to improve facilities in all sectors of the economy. “People don’t need to go on strike to get the best of facilities. That is the point we wish to emphasise.”
At Lagos State University (LASU) School of Communication, Ojuelegba, academic activities were also yet to commence. Some students were seen around lectures offices trying to sort out some of the problems they had in some of their courses before the strike.
Chairman of ASUU, LASU branch, Dr. Jamiu Olatoki, expressed hope that the federal government would make good its promise, saying that it was important for the future of the youths.
“The federal government should not go back on its promise. The students have so much ground to cover as soon as lectures commence, so they should be prepared to work hard.”
He also urged parents to motivate their children financially so that they can return to school.
His counterpart at the Anambra State University, Uli, Dr. Jaja Nwanegbo, said the precedent of the Nigerian government has made it impossible for the citizens to trust it. However, he said the union had no option than to trust the government, hoping that it would not renege on its promises.
A 200 level Philosophy student of UNILAG, Mr. Adekunle Alabi described the two months stay at home as very traumatic. He said the effect of strike would continue to hunt him since it halted the school calendar.
“I am afraid the lecturers may rush us. We are appealing to both parties to use the opportunity to permanently address the problem in the education sector. The federal government should not abandon the education sector again, because a faulty education sector will have an adverse effect on the overall development of the nation.”
A final year Mass Communication student, who preferred anonymity said the issue had been on since her first year and the government had been making promises, “I don’t trust government enough, I will only trust them when I start seeing the benefits in the universities.”
She said the strike would alter her graduation time because there was no lecturer to guide her through her project while it lasted.
A 300 level Journalism student of LASU, Miss Banke Omidiji, said the suspension of the strike was not a total victory for both the lecturers and the students. She also appealed to government to implement the agreement with the union because, “the way things are now, anything can still happen.”
CULLED FROM http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/asuu-fg-agreement-has-implementation-come-to-stay-/108852/
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