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Tag: ASUP

  • Mark: ASUP’s demands are genuine

    Mark: ASUP’s demands are genuine

    Senate President David Mark has said the Federal Government is committed to addressing the challenges in the Education sector.

    Mark spoke yesterday in Abuja when executives of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), led by its President, Dr. Chibuzo Asomuogha, visited him in his office.

    The Senate president noted that ASUP’s demands are genuine.

    He said the biggest investment any government could give its citizens is effective education at all levels.

    A statement by his Chief Press Secretary Paul Mumeh on the visit, quoted Mark as saying the union had a genuine case.

    Mark said: “ASUP’s demands indicate that the union is not selfish. They are requesting for not only their welfare but infrastructural development that would promote learning in the polytechnics.

    “I was delighted when I heard that the union gave room for the new Minister of Education to settle down and look into the demands of the union. This shows some level of understanding.

    “We must continue to dialogue. What we need is to resolve all the issues raised and bring back our students to the class. Polytechnic education is a unique form of education no nation desirous of development can ignore.”

    He said the Senate under his leadership would ensure that normalcy returns to the polytechnics.

    Mark said: “The Senate will continue to do the needful to bring back our students to classes and ensure normalcy returns to the sector.”

    Asomuogha hailed the National Assembly for taking decisive steps to resolve the ASUP strike and return the lecturers to the classroom.

    The union leader urged Mark and the Senate to prevail on the Federal Government to accede to the demands of the union before the expiration of the three-month suspension of the strike.

  • ASUP’s demands are genuine – Mark

    ASUP’s demands are genuine – Mark

    Senate President, David Mark, Thursday expressed the Federal Government’s commitment towards addressing the ills in the education sector.

    Mark who spoke when the Executives of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) visited him in his office noted that the demands by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) are genuine.

    He noted that the biggest investment any government can give to its citizenry is education at all levels. This was contained in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Senate President, Paul Mumeh, in Abuja.

    He said: “The demands of ASUP indicate that the Union is not selfish. They are requesting for not only their welfare but infrastructural development that would promote learning in the Polytechnics.

    “I was delighted when I heard that the Union gave room for the new Minister of Education to settle down and look into the demands of the Union. This shows some level of understanding.

    “We must continue to dialogue. What we need is to resolve all the issues raised and bring back our students to classes. Polytechnic education is a unique form of education no nation desirous of development can ignore”

    Mark assured that the Senate under his leadership will continue to do the needful to make sure normalcy returns to our Polytechnics, “the Senate will continue to do the needful to bring back our students to classes and ensure normalcy returns to the sector.”

    Earlier, the President of ASUP, Dr. Chibuzo Asomuogha, commended the National Assembly for the steps taken so far at resolving the strike and return the lecturers to classrooms.

    He called on Mark and the Senate to prevail on the Federal Government to attend to the demands of the union before the expiration of the three months suspension of the strike.

    He added that lecturers are always ready to put in their best to develop the Polytechnic education across the nation.

  • ASUP suspends strike for three months

    ASUP suspends strike for three months

    The 11-month-old strike by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) is over, at least for now.

    The union suspended the strike yesterday for three months to enable the federal government address the issues that led to the strike.

    ASUP National President, Dr. Chibuzor Asomugha, told The Nation on phone that the ýunion took the action to give the new Minister of Education, Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau, who took office  on Wednesday the benefit of the doubt.

    “We met with the Minister on Thursday and he pleaded with us to give him time to address the issues and we have agreed to do so,” he said.

    The lecturers are expected to resume work on Tuesday.

    Shekarau hailed the ASUP leadership for its “commitment to the cause of education in general and in particular, the wellbeing of our polytechnics which I always refer to as the engine room of our technological growth and development.”

    The country, he said,  “cannot afford to ignore the polytechnics…we cannot grow without the manpower being produced by the polytechnics,” and  added: “I am happy you noted that I am just coming in; and I will need a little more time to study the issues on ground and see how much we can get out of all the issues you raised. The issues you have raised as far as I am concerned are not totally insurmountable. They are issues that will lead to dialogue, understanding with the spirit of give and take.”

    Previous talks between the union and the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, were deadlocked owing to what  ASUP described as a “deliberate failure” by the government to address its 13 demands.

    These include:  an end to the discrimination against polytechnic graduates in the Public Service and in the labour market;  release of the White Paper on the Visitations to Federal Polytechnics; implementation of CONTISS 15 migration for the lower cadres and its arrears as from 2009; establishment of a National Polytechnics Commission (NPC)  as a regulatory body for Polytechnics.

    Others are: review of the Polytechnic Act, improved funding of the polytechnic sub-sector and equitable disbursements of TETfund grants among universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.

    The strike started in April 2013 and was  first suspended on July 17, 2013 following the intervention of the Senate Committee on Education only to resume October 4, 2013 when the union was dissatisfied with ýthe slow pace of the implementation.

    Meanwhile, the national leadership of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) is to meet with Shekarau on Thursdayý to discuss their strike, which is over nine months.

     

     

  • Breaking News: ASUP suspends strike for three months

    The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) suspended its 10-months-old strike.
    The Chairman of the union, Dr Charles Asomugha confirmed the suspension of the strike for three months to The Nation.

    Lecturers are to resume work on Tuesday.

    Details shortly…

     

  • Poly students to protest over ASUP strike in Abuja

    Poly students to protest over ASUP strike in Abuja

    Members of the National Association of Polytechnics Students (NAPS) have scheduled a peaceful protest in Abuja over the protracted Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) strike, which has paralysed activities in polytechnics for over 10 months.

    In a statement, NAPS Senate President, Lukman Salahudeen, said: “It is obvious that our governments have no provision for the future of this nation. It is pathetic to see that the Senate Committee on Education has done little to resolve the crisis. In our estimation, we reject the insensitivity, unpatriotic and ineffective act of the supervising Minister of Education, Mr Nyesome Wike; he has failed to attend the committee’s meeting for the second time.”

    Without readiness of the government to resolve with lecturers, Lukman said students would take their destinies into their hands by marching on Presidential Villa in Abuja to “let Mr President see reasons for him to intervene fully and end the strike just the way he did with ASUU”

    Aso Rock, he said, would be considered as campus until their campuses reopen. He urged his colleagues to see the protest as a collective struggle to salvage the nation’s education from “total collapse”.

  • Minister begs ASUP to call off strike

    Minister begs ASUP to call off strike

    …as committee to bridge HND/B.Sc dichotomy submits report

    The Supervising Minister of Education, Barrister Nyesom Wike, yesterday appealed to the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) to call off its 11-month-old industrial action in the interest of the country.

    Wike assured that government is working assiduously to see that issues surrounding the strike are properly addressed.

    He said this in Abuja at the presentation of the report of the technical committee set up by the Federal Government on the removal of ceiling on career progression of HND holders and dichotomy between HND holders and degrees holders.

    The minister promised that the report would be forwarded to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation for immediate action.

    His words: “Let me on behalf of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation for completing the assignment given to them. Of cause we all know that this assignment is very serious; it is not any easy one, but what is important is that you have come up with far reaching decisions that would help to address some of the challenges that have been identified in the polytechnic sector.

    “It is for ASUP to know that government is willing to solve the entire problem, but ASUP should know that the interest of this nation is paramount to everybody and that government is doing a lot of sacrifices to meet up on its own demand. ASUP should also in the interest of the nation call off the strike.”

    The committee called for the strengthening of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) so that it can continue with the review of curricular of the polytechnic sector and bring it in line with global and industrial standard.

    Presenting the report the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Mr. MacJohn Nwaobiala, who is also the chairman of the committee, explained that the committee identified the imperative for changes to be made in classification of HND holders in the Scheme of Service as a first step to opening the career ladder to enable them reach the maximum grade levels in the civil service.

    He also underlined the need to maintain standards, by not creating two different B. Tech degrees, and therefore considered it more beneficial to synchronize the B. Tech Curriculum proposed by the NBTE, for the polytechnics with the B. Tech degree approved for the universities by NUC, to avoid further dichotomy.

    Speaking to journalists shortly after the presentation of the report, the President of ASUP, Chibuzor Asumogha, disclosed that the presentation of the report was “a step forward” in calling off the strike.

  • NAPS to Fed Govt: Intensify efforts to rescue Chibok girls 

    NAPS to Fed Govt: Intensify efforts to rescue Chibok girls 

    •Seeks end to over 12- month strike  

    The National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) yesterday advised the federal government to do everything possible to rescue the abducted Chibok girls.

    Over 200 students were abducted by the Boko Haram sect on April 15 at the Government Secondary School, Chibok Borno State.

    NAPS called on well-meaning Nigerians to join in the final mission to rescue the girls alive without crisis.

    It also advised government and the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) to ensure that the over 12- month strike is called off.

    The polytechnic students said they were getting agitated over the protracted strike.

    A statement in Abuja after the NAPS Executive council meeting signed by its President, Comrade Ogbonnaya Sunday, said: “NAPS condemns the brains behind the Boko Haram group and appealed to them to stop playing politics with the lives and future of young Nigerians.

    “The meeting also tasked security agents to be more proactive in their fight against terror.

    “While appealing for the unconditional release of the Chibok girls, the council advised the general public to be more interested in the fight against terror.”

    NAPS called on polytechnic graduates to spearhead the fight for proper recognition of the sector.

    It said: “The meeting also agreed that if the fight for a better polytechnic sector must take proper shape those who are products of polytechnic education must be in the forefront of the fight as he who wears the shoes knows where it hurts.

    “To that end, the executives called on former leaders of NAPS who are tested and trusted in intellectual engagement and negotiations to organise themselves and pick up the struggle for better opportunities for polytechnic graduates as that will consolidate effort of NAPS for current students.”

     

  • Senate begs ASUP, COEASU to end strike

    Senate begs ASUP, COEASU to end strike

    The Chairman of the Senate House Committee on Education, Uche Chukwumerije, has urged the striking lecturers of polytechnics and Colleges of Education to accept whatever resolution the Federal Government offers them to end the strike.

    Chukwumerije, who was represented by a committee member, Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, spoke yesterday in Ondo after inspecting facilities at the National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) in Ondo West Local Government Area of Ondo State.

    The senator said the Federal Government had been holding series of meetings with the leaders of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP) and the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU).

    He assured that the government would end the strike.

    Chukwumerije urged the striking lecturers to consider the various security challenges facing the nation.

    According to him, this was among the reasons the government could not meet the demands of the striking lecturers.

    The senator advised them to take whatever the government was offering them.

    He explained that the major concern of the Goodluck Jonathan administration was on how to rescue the over 200 schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram insurgents in Chibok, Borno State.

    Chukwumerije said: “Nigerians know the active role being played by the Senate during the industrial action of members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the ongoing strike by ASUP and COEASU. We are deeply involved. We had a meeting last week and we are going to have another one on June 23.

    “What we want all Nigerians to appreciate is that we are at a very difficult time. Our nation is going through a very difficult moment. We all heard of the unfortunate tragedy about the school children slaughtered in Yobe State. They did not stop there; these convoluted evil-minded people abducted our schoolgirls in Chibok.

    “So, the President’s primary challenge is security. All institutions, all persons in Nigeria are supposed to give due recognition to this issue.

    “In our negotiation with the government, we have to be mindful that the priority of this government is security. So, we are urging the ASUP and COEASU to be mindful of the security situation in negotiating with the government so that whatever that needs to be done should be done within the parametre of the challenge.”

    He said the committee had directed the Chief Executive officer of NIEPA to write members on the propose merger of the institution on whether or not it is desirable for the Education sector.

  • ASUP/FG face- off: We are in a fix – Minister

    ASUP/FG face- off: We are in a fix – Minister

    Hope of a speedy resolution of the lingering dispute between the members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP) and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) and the Federal Government dimmed considerably on Tuesday as the Minister for Education, Nyesom Wike, confessed that the Federal Government “is in a fix” on how to progress with the issue.

    Speaking at a meeting with the Aminu Suleiman headed House of Representatives Committee on Education, the minister said resolving the almost a year old dispute would be tricky as the proposal he made on the payment of the outstanding N40 billion arrears to both COEASU and ASUP has been overtaken by events.

    “We are now in a fix. We are now trying to resolve the issue with salaries and wages Commission,” he said,

    Explaining what transpired between the government and ASUP in particular, Wike said “I took a risk that I’ve never taken in life when I arranged a meeting with ASUP and proposed the payment of the outstanding arrears in installments.

    “I asked that we solve the major issues. They said there were arrears of N20 billion for COEASU and N20 billion for ASUP.

    “I asked the Permanent Secretary to write a memo on how it would be paid. I made a memo to Mr. President that I have made the offer. They now wrote a letter back that they are not accepting the proposal.”

    According to him, sequel to the rejection of the proposal by ASUP, the Wages and Salaries Commission wrote a letter also rejecting the proposal, thereby compounding the problem.

    “Government is not sleeping on the issue. It is nobody’s desire to see schools closed down for almost a year. People should know that what we are trying to do is not personal. Nobody wants children to stay at home. The matter started with the former minister,” Wike said.

     

  • Polytechnic workers suspend seven months strike

    Polytechnic workers suspend seven months strike

    The Nasarawa State Polytechnic chapter of Non Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (NASUP), on Wednesday suspended its seven months-old-strike.

    The Chairman of the union, Mr David Ayitono-Goshi announced the suspension in Lafia while briefing journalists on the outcome of the meeting they had with the management of the polytechnic.

    Ayitono-Goshi said that the suspension followed the intervention of respected personalities who pledged to pursue the union’s grievances to the appropriate authorities.

    “We have been on strike for seven months now, but when the new members of the governing council came on board, they requested that we should appeal to the national headquarters of the union to suspend the strike.

    “They also assured that they will continue with the negotiation from where it stopped,” he said.

    The chairman said that the suspension was “conditional”, as the union would resume its strike if the state government fails to address the issues within six months.

    He directed all members of the union to resume work immediately.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that already some members of the members have complied with the directive, as they were seen in their places of work. (NAN)