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.
Education
Oyo Subeb Recruits More Teachers For Primary, Junior Secondary Schools
The Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board has released the names of 5,600 newly recruited primary school teachers and 80 caregivers in the State.
The SUBEB Chairman, Nureni Adeniran, who announced this in Ibadan, the state capital, on Friday, explained that the list had been duly approved by the state Governor, Seyi Makinde.
“The newly appointed teachers and caregivers are the first batch of successful applicants from the recent recruitment exercise carried out by the board,” he said.
“The list will be uploaded on the portal and will be available for candidates to check their names from the portal.
Education
Corruption In Governance: Don Advocates Traditional Values Promotion
A Professor of Accountancy in the Department of Accounting , Faculty of Administration and Management, Rivers State University, Prof Lawyer Chukwumah Obara has advocated the adoption of African traditional values as a managerial tool to eradicate systemic corruption and mismanagement of public funds in governance.
According to him , the use of such African traditional methods like shrine oath-taking by public servants will deter such public officials from misappropriation of public funds while in office. He said accounting system is evolutionary science that recognises the practice of some pragmatic ideological practices such as African norms and values to fight corruption and mismanagement of funds that is predominantly noticed in both public and private governance.
Prof Obara stated this while delivering his inaugural lecture at the 106th inaugural lecture series of the state university with the topic, “Pragmatic Ideologies and Visionary Accounting: Reinforcing the Helmet, “ held at the Senate auditorium,last Wednesday.
He noted that all the 36 States including the Federal Capital Territory in the country can convinently survive without any federal allocation if they embrace pragmatic ideological accounting systems that are visionary accounting methods.
“Every State must adopt pragmatic approaches in their accounting system,there should be accountability and transparency, ,we must be flexible in our Constitution as constitutional rigidity is bane of the growth of the nation and we must go back to our root , traditional values and that will promote wonderful accounting system and the world will celebrate us,”he stated.
The erudite scholar noted that Accounting science helmet provides a safety umbrella to shade RAIR from shady accounting practices and can serve as both protective measure and forward looking.
Mr Vice Chancellor,in the foregoing senses, reinforcement can increase the probability that the accounting’ behaviour will occur again in similar situations.This implies that reinforcing the helmet is a powerful tool in shaping accountants behaviour, learning and development and this can lead to more effective strategies in accounting therapy and everyday interactions”,he stated.
The lecture examined the evolution of philosophical thought in accounting, notion of pragmatic ideologies in accounting, visionary accounting paradigm , transparency , differences and similarities,the helmet metaphor : balancing protection progress.
He posisted that accounting plays vital role in the socio-economic development of nations , stressing that Accounting is the instrument for financial management , transparency, and resource allocation.
“Over the years ,the accounting system has undergone significant transformations influenced by historical developments , regulatory reforms, and the adoption of global standards which serve as the helmet reinforcing and protecting socio_economic development.”
Reinforcement is a fundamental concept in behavioral psychology and learning theory, particularly in the context of operant conditioning. it refers to any stimulus or event that increases the likelihood of a behaviour being repeated in the future.It can be understood as a mechanism that encourages certain behaviors through rewards or consequences,”he stated.
In concluding, Prof Obara stated that Nigeria’s economic landscape demands an accounting profession that is both pragmatic and visionary .
Earlier in his speech,the Vice Chancellor of the university Prof Nlerum Sunday Okogbule represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, Prof Victor Akujuru the lecture said is valuable and is capable to advancing the growth and development of any society if adopted, even as he commended the lecturer for a thoughtful and impacted inaugural lecture.
By: Akujobi Amadi
Education
RSUBEB Officials Visit Riverine Schools In Abua /Odual
A team of board members and directors of the Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board led by Member in charge of Supervision / Monitoring, Chief Nwuke Anucha visited Ogboloma,a riverine community in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of the State to inspect a six classroom block built single handedly by the community recently.
Speaking at the King’s palace shortly after inspecting the building and facilities in the school, Chief Anucha, who represented the board chairman, Alabo David Briggs, commended the people of Ogboloma for remaining united and working in synergy for the good of the community and the younger generation.
While assuring them that the board chairman would surely be briefed on the effort so far made by the community in encouraging education in the area, Anucha expressed optimism that he (Briggs) will not hesitate to give his approval for the school to kick off and called on the people to see education as the responsibility of all.
He used the medium to thank the King of Ogboloma His Highness Micah Brother, the councilor, Hon. Thomas Carlson; CDC Chairman, Lucky Brave Egba, Chiefs and elders and youths for working in synergy for the progress of community.
Also speaking, the board member in charge of projects Dr. Walson Ominini lauded the people for promoting education in the area, assuring them that their effort will not be in vain.
Earlier in his speech, the King of Ogboloma, His King Micah Brother thanked the bfor finding time to visit the community, pointing out that the six classroom block was the singular effort of the community and appealed to the board chairman to give approval for the school to kick off.
The King who spoke through the councillor representing the area, Hon. Thomas Carlson narrated how children in the community are trekking long distances to neighbouring communities in search of quality education and sometimes would be bitten by snakes called on the board to come to their aid as government presence is not in any way felt in the community.
The chiefs also spoke, thanking the board officers for coming to see things for themselves.
By: Akujobi Amadi
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