Education
As FG, ASUU Reach Agreement
It was indeed a cheering news for students of public universities and their parents across the country as Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) announced the suspension of the eight-week strike it embarked upon.
It was also a big relief to students and other stakeholders who expressed so much worry over the strike which disrupted academic activities from December 4, 2011.
But the good thing is that the federal government shifted grounds and ASUU showed patriotism.
We have seen that it was for the interest of the students and geared towards the transformation agenda of the federal government in the education sector.
The National Assembly, Federal Government, ASUU and other stakeholders reached agreement on ways of implementing the 2009 FG/ASUU issues, bearing in mind that the importance of education in nation building cannot be over-emphasized.
Therefore, with the federal government’s acceptance to steadily implement some of the issues raised by ASUU in the 2009 agreement, the union said it would give peace a chance.
The National President of ASUU, Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie, who announced the suspension last Wednesday, told journalists that the decision was in the interest of the revitalization of Nigerian universities.
Prof. Awuzie however, said that ASUU in an emergency meeting of National Executive Council (NEC) decided that it would give government the benefit of doubt.
According to him, “ASUU NEC, after collective talks with members across the country, and having deliberated extensively resolved to suspend the stake with effect from Thursday, the 2nd, 2012.
Some of the issues deliberated upon focused on funding requirements for revitalizing the universalities, academic allowances and amendment of pension/retirement age of professors from 65 to 70 years.
Earlier, the National Assembly had passed a bill on the retirement age of professors from 65 to 70 years, which is one of the demands by ASUU.
The bill also provided registrars, librarians, and professors of tertiary institutions the opportunity of holding office for five (5) years with extension of one (1) year if the need arises.
Prof. Awuzie said government has also accepted the principle for the progressive increase of annual budgetary allocation to education to 26 per cent from 2009 to 2020.
He said government would immediately stimulate the process with the sum of N100 billion and would build it up to a yearly sum of N400 billion in the next three years.
And to ensure effective overall monitoring of the implementation of the FG/ASUU agreement, government he said, would meet with the expanded implementation monitoring committee on quarterly basis to assess progress.
The ASUU National president insisted that the implementation monitoring committee would be expanded to include one representative of the ministry of finance, national planning and budget office.
He noted that ASUU would re-negotiate agreements which would be due for review in June, 2012.
Some of the conditions he listed that must be met by the Federal Government within the specific time frame include; funding environment for the revitalization of the universities, increase budgetary allocation to education from 2013 to 2020.
According to him, government should re-instate the governing councils of various universities on or before February 12, 2012.
“Yes, they have told us they are going to do this, yes they have given us assurances that they are going to try to implement that, yes they have told us that even the bill will be passed by the National Assembly.
“All these are indications that they appreciate that we are not crying wolf, we are really talking about something that is important,’ he maintained.
Prof. Awuzie commended all stakeholders for their cooperation and understanding during the strike.
On the part of federal government, the Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufa’i, said government would continue to improve funding in the university system to create conducive environment for learning.
“If we look beyond the budget, there are other interventions that are coming into the sector and that are really making a mark throughout the sector.
“For example, if we look at the issue of funding the universities alone in 2012, we are expecting about N50 billion apart from the N400 billion for the sector and to note that N200 billion out of N400 billion is going to the universities, by the time we raise about N200 billion and add up to the budgetary provision of N200 billion, well of course we already have N300 billion,” she explained.
Prof. Rufa’i promised that Federal Government would continue to do such through the years up to the level of agreement it has with ASUU.
Her words: “But we sincerely appreciate the understanding in terms of all these discussions that we did.”
On the part of ASUU, it is expected that Federal Government fulfils its obligation in the area of funding and other issues.
Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie expressed: “We are all thinking about our nation, we are thinking about our children, we are looking for the best for them.”
The National President of National Union of Rivers State Students (NURSS), Warmate Awoloye, noted that students must not go on a protect before education sector could be funded.
A student of Urban and Regional Planning at the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), Roy Abah, said he thanked God that they have called off the strike.
In his own view, A civil servant at the Federal Secretariat, in Port Harcourt, Mr. George Effiong said there is the need for government to review the lecturers salaries, maintain the existing universities and other issues which they have failed to implement over the years.
He advised federal government to take education serious in Nigeria stressing that any society that does not recognize its importance would definitely not experience any growth and development.
He noted that it is great that FG/ASUU have come to a compromise and now students would go back to school.
A Mass Communication student, Miss Stephanie Aaron, said students are appealing to their lecturers to accept the offers made by the federal government and imagined the man hour and material resources lost during the strike.
Expressing her view on the development, Food Technology student of Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, Tolu Adebayo, insisted that strike disrupts academic sessions and would lead to extension of the academic calendar.
She said she has not been doing anything at home and maintained that she wants to go back to school.
Members of ASSU are confident that the agreement reached with Federal Government would work due to the increase in budgetary allocation to education.
But a 300-level Estate Management student, Charles Batubo, believed that another strike is imminent as he doubts the commitment of the Federal Government.
“Not that you tell them to go and after few months nothing has been done and they would go on strike again,” he expressed.
For greater number of the universities, it is a new session otherwise more students would have been seen on campuses.
Since it was not a mid semester, students are not in the halls of residence and for those fresh students whose timetable were ready before the strike, it is believed that the authorities concerned would adjust the academic calendar and draw up the timetable for lecturers to start work.
Bringing lecturers and students back to school by the Federal Government is a step in the right direction and a sign of better things to come.
It was fun anyway, none of the parties lost out, but all the same, the joy of every student is to always be in class and come out in flying colours, so as to be able to contribute to the society.
With this development, normal academic life would soon take shape in Nigerian universities.
Eunice Choko-Kayode
The Executive Chairman of the Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board, Alabo David Briggs and his Post Primary Schools Board, counterpart, Dr. Sam Emejuru recently embarked on a joint visit to Model Girls Secondary School, Mbodo Aluu in Ikwerre Local Government Arera of Rivers State.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after interacting with the students, Alabo Briggs said both of them were in the school to know how the students are faring, how happy they are, and to also know their areas of need and then take pragmatic decisions that would enhance the wellbeing of the students.
Describing the school as the only boarding school in Rivers State made up of Senior and Junior Secondary, the UBE boss said the visit has actually afforded them the opportunity to know what is lacking in the school, and promised that every machinery would be adequately put in place to ensure that the school is made more attractive and students well taken care of.
He further maintained that the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) and staff of the school must rise to the occasion so as to bring back the lost glory of the school and ensure that the students are treated and well handled like their own children.
Corroborating the UBE boss, Dr. Sam Emejuru of the Post Primary School promised that everything possible would be done to reposition the school, and appealed to all concerned to be patient.
During the visit, the two Board chairmen and their members met with the school authorities wherein issues bordering on the school were discreetly ironed out and some good changes made.
Alabo Briggs also gave cash to some of the students that performed well in the essay competition that took place in Port Harcourt.
The students were also given cartons of sanitary pads to mark the International Day of the Girl Child which was celebrated all over the world recently.
By: Akujobi Amadi
The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) support programme on report writing for Chief Supervisors and Evaluators of the Local Government Areas took place recently at the UBE Board Headquarters in Port Harcourt.
Addressing the participants, the Board member in charge of Supervision/Monitoring, Chief Nwuke Anucha, described the programme as very interesting and educative as it is aimed at broadening the knowledge of the Chief Supervisors and Evaluators on report writing.
While thanking UBEC for the initiative, Chief Anucha also commended the resource persons who came from UBEC Abuja for doing a good job and appealed to the participants to see the support programme on report writing as an opportunity to do better.
Also speaking, the Board member, Project/Technical, Dr. Walson Ominini described the programme as a good one that all the participants must take seriously for the good of Rivers State.
Ominini used the medium to announce the personnel audit for staff of the Local Government Education Authorities in the three Senatorial zones coming up next week at the Board Headquarters adding that any staff of the LGEA who does not take part in the Audit should regard himself or herself as not being a staff of UBE.
In her vote of thanks, the Director, Quality Assurance, Mrs. Nnenna Osumenya thanked UBEC for the programme, and described it as a welcomed development.
She particularly thanked the Executive Chairman of the Board, Alabo David Briggs and the Board members for giving the programme the needed attention.
By: Akujobi Amadi
In cognizance of the value of reading in educational, career and knowledge pursuits, TotalEnergies Joint Venture(JV) Asset has committed itself to instilling the habit in students of secondary schools to enable them succeed in their academic pursuits and become good leaders of tommorow.
This, it is achieving through its Annual Book Reading and Open Day programme.
This year’s event, organised for Senior Secondary Schools in Rivers State,with the theme, ‘The World Is A Maze; Navigate It — Read’ and held at the Event Centre, TotalEnergies Office, PortHarcourt, explored the book, ‘Unexpected Joy At Dawn’ by Ghanaian author, Alex Agyei Agyiri.
Participating schools chosen across Port Harcourt included Government Technical College, PortHarcourt; Bishop Crowther Memorial Secondary School, Rumuobiakani; Oginigba Comprehensive Secondary School; Community Secondary School, Rumuomasi, and Hilltop Prime International College.
Others were Community Secondary School, Amadi-Ama; Government Senior Secondary School, Elekahia; Community Secondary School, Nkpogu; Dietams International Schools; and Community Secondary School, Abuloma.
In his address, the Deputy Managing Director, Joint Venture Asset, TotalEnergies EP, Nigeria Limited, Olivier Cassassoles, said reading habit remains a major essential needed for life’s development in information, direction and character building, and stressed the need for the students, many of whom he said would grow to become leaders to cultivate and sustain the culture.
Cassassoles, who was represented by the Executive Director, JV Asset, PortHarcourt, Obi Imemba, quoted former American President, Barack Obama’s words, “reading is the gateway skill that makes all other learning possible” and stated that “this clearly aligns with the theme of the day and implies that in order to successfully navigate the complexities of life, one needs to read”.
Cassassoles said “as students, many of you will grow to be leaders and leaders need a lot of information to stay relevant. The books you read will shape your future and through them you will find wisdom to make a difference”.
According to him, the book reading event is one that the company holds dear to heart as it promotes the culture of reading among students in Nigeria.
While encouraging the students to make conscientious effort to research good books with themes and characters that align with what they intend to do in future, Cassassoles expressed the hope that the students would commit themselves to a life of reading, adding that “I expect that you will be leaving here with a clearer idea of the career path you want to pursue “.
Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Education, Dr Ovy Chinedum Chukwuma, described this year’s theme as ‘most appropriate’ at a time when students have abandoned the text book for not only the phone – Whatsapp, Twitter etcetera but other vices.
Represented by the Technical Adviser to the Commissioner, Dr Joy Nwamaka Joseph, Chukwuma noted that reading is an effective tool for engaging students in critical thinking, saying “a student that reads focuses attention on the task at hand, immersing them in information and improving his/her concentration and memory”, insisting that students must read in order to navigate this maze-like world successfully.
The Commissioner commended TotalEnergies for “always seeking to improve the educational standards of our pupils, students, under/post graduates in our institutions and for inspiring them to develop the habit of reading as a life style”.
Earlier, the Country Communications Manager, TotalEnergies, Charles Ebereonwu, revealed that the annual reading event is part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR) targeted at making the best of future leaders.
In his closing remarks, the Special Adviser, People and Talent Management, TotalEnergies EP Nigeria Limited, Samuel Nkwo, lauded the students for going beyond reading the book to taking lessons there from.
“What has happened here today has given us encouragement that this is a good thing to do and that we should continue to do it” Nkwo said.
Highlights of the event included reading and discussion of the book, ‘Unexpected Joy At Dawn’, questions and answers session and presentation of gift items including school bags, solar lamps, books among others to the students.
By: Lady Godknows Ogbulu