Education
Strikes: FG, ASUU, Others May Reach Agreement, Next Week
The Federal Government has expressed optimism that the decisions reached at its tripartite plus meeting with the university-based unions would start yielding fruits next week.
A statement by the Head, Press and Public Relations in the Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Mr Olajide Oshundun in Abuja on Friday, quoted the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige while addressing newsmen at the end of the meeting on the ongoing strike by unions in the education sector which inducde the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).
The unions are pushing for improved welfare packages and better working environments.
“We had cordial and fruitful discussion; we looked at the issues dispassionately and reached some agreements, to the satisfaction of everybody in attendance,” Ngige said.
He said the discussion was moved out of the Labour Ministry to make it tripartite because the government brought in some interested parties in a bid to resolve disputes.
He said that the parties included the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) headed by the Sultan of Sokoto; Sa’ad Abubakar III and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), led by Rev. Sampson Ayokunle, NIREC co- chairman.
“We discussed. Everybody was happy. We reached some agreements and we hope that by next week, those agreements will start maturing.
“The four unions will also go and brief their members, so that they can call off the strike,” he said.
The minister also said some issues such as the 2009 agreement as it affects the renegotiation of condition of service and wage review could be concluded next week.
The statement also quoted the Chief of Staff to the President and Chairman of the tripartite meeting, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, as informing the meeting that President Muhammadu Buhari had directed him to pilot the meeting.
Gambari said the team comprises of the Ministers of Labour, Finance and Education would work with ASUU leaders and stakeholders find a lasting solution to the perennial strikes in our education system.
He said that the perennial problems had culminated in the mutilation of the nation’s educational calendar.
“Not long ago, we had professors and students from universities in other countries coming to work in our universities.
“Not long ago we had a calendar and predictability of when a student enters the university and when he or she can graduate.
“But we all know that all of that have changed and the impact on our education system and even the reputation of our universities has been devastating,” he said.
Gambari assured that Mr President was determined to put an end to this negative development.
“We need predictable and quality education so that the human capital required to move our country forward will further be developed in a consistent manner.
“It is in this light that the meeting has been convened and I want to commend, on behalf of Mr President, the efforts made by the co-chairs of NIREC in having meetings with ASUU,” he said.
In his remarks, according to the statement, Abubakar assured that all hope was not lost in the resolution of the strikes in the university system.
“Once we sit together to discuss a problem, we believe that the end is in sight as dialogue is the best option in resolving all issues”, he said.
He said as NIREC, they came on board as a show of concern and determination to end the industrial disputes.
“I don’t think it will be so beneficial to us that while our children are at home and threatening violence across the country, blocking roads and airports and we as elders sit down watching.
“The best thing is to go back to the classroom and we continue negotiation. We will continue sitting together until the final solution is attained. It is not impossible.
“There must be a compromise. At the end of it all, there will be no victor, no vanquished. It is important to see us working to put our educational system back on track.
“It will be very dangerous to allow our children to sit at home for the next three weeks. That is why we plead with the unions to see the need to call off while we negotiate,” he said.
On his own part according to the statement, Ayokunle commended the federal government for the confidence reposed on them to be part of the meeting.
He said the poor funding of universities was borne out of long period of neglect, ‘which snowballed to where things are today’.
“If others funded the education sector as much as the present administration had done like this administration maybe we will not be where we are.
He appealed to the unions to return to work in the interest of children’s and the future of the country.
Also, ASUU president, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke urged the government to give quality attention to education, saying if it does, all the problems could be amicably resolved very soon.
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