Education

As FG, ASUU Dialogue

Published

15 years ago

January 23, 2012

As the Federal Government and Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) meet today to deliberate on issues affecting Nigeria’s university system, there are indications that something reasonable would come out of it.

The National Assembly through the Senate President, David Mark, announced last Wednesday, the approval of the extension of retirement age of professors from 65 to 70 years.

This is one of the issues ASUU is demanding from the Federal Government.

Since December 5, 2011 the umbrells body of lecturers in federal and state – owned universities had embarked on an indefinite strike alleging that the federal government was foot-dragging over the implementation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement, which promises better funding of universities, extension of the retirement age of professors to 70 years, university autonomy and better condition of service, among others, after signing the agreement with the Federal Government in October 2009, after nearly three months of strike, the union, led by its National Executive Council (NEC) President, Prof. Ukachukwu Awuzie, has been complaining about the non-implementation of most components of the agreement and issued several warnings, especially last year that it was running out of patience.

In May 2011, after a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the union, it accused the federal government of insincerity, said, members were calling for a one-week warning strike which began on September 26, and then till now.

The Minister of Education, Prof. Ruquyyatu Ahmed Rufai, has urged the union to be patient and stated that the bill was before the National Assembly.

Prof. Rufai, while briefing newsmen at the end of a meeting between Federal government and ASUU which ended in deadlock last month, appealed: “I will still insist and plead again that ASUU has to call of the strike.

“We have already agreed that we will continue to negotiate in terms of ensuring that all the issues at stake will have to be addressed”.

The Education Minister urged students to be patient and understand the situation in the country.

While assuring that the federal government was making efforts to transform the country and was not pleased with the shortfalls in the universities.

Expressing her views on the latest development, the Owerri Zonal Cordinator of ASUU, Mrs Emilia Jaja, in a telephone interview with The Tide, acknowledged that the National Executive Council (NEC) of ASUU is meeting with Federal government today and that is when Federal government will officially present the document to the leadership of the union.

According to her, “It is a big sacrifice from the Professors anyway, because they are giving out a lot, but it is okay.

“Well we are very hopeful, if they meet on Monday, every other thing would be looked into, you know, that is not the only thing we have”.

She said when federal government looks at the other things, ASUU would call its national officers for briefing before local chapters would take action.

Her words: “We are hopeful that by Monday, something reasonable will come out of it. It will be reasonable enough”.

Bearing his mind on the move, in a Short Message Service (SMS), the ASUU Chairman, Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), Chapter, Dr. Felix Igwe, recalled that the strike was called due to the non-implementation of the 2009 agreement.

According to him, “After the meeting on Monday, the union will convene NEC meeting to review the level of implementation of the said agreement and subsequently, decide on the way forward”.

He, however, appealed to governing councils of both federal and states universities that have not made any effort to implement the agreement to pay the requisite arrears of the accrued salary difference from July 2009.

He said that has become necessary so as to avert further strike after the national strike is been suspended.

Also expressing optimism about today’s meeting between the federal government and ASUU, a school teacher, Mrs Hannah Obiekwe, who said, if the National Assembly has approved the retirement age of Professors from 65 to 70 years, acknowledged that it is better for us.

“Experience has shown that the more you teach, the more experience you gain and the society taps from this laudable experience of teachers”.

“A nation without human capital development cannot flourish in modern competitive economy”, she expressed.

She advised government to treat members of ASUU with respect and dignity arguing that without them, students would have no future.

Also speaking, a non-academic staff in one of the tertiary institutions in Port Harcourt, Mr. Durum Nnanna, but they expressed optimism that the two parties would reach agreement today to enable students go back to school.

He cautioned that strike action should not always arise between Federal government and ASUU can reach agreement to avoid disruption in the academic calendar.

However, the National President of National Union of Rivers State Students (NURSS), Mr. Warmate Awoloye, expressed concern over the issues of ASUU’s incessant strike actions and appealed to ASUU to see to the plight of the federal government on education vis-à-vis the removal of fuel subsidy.

Awoloye said based on that, he is hopeful that the standard of education students crave for in the universities would come to fruition.

He advised both federal government and ASUU to dialogue and call off the strike as soon as possible because according to him, “we are tired of staying at home and we want to avoid further demonstrations on the streets”.

In his reaction, the President of Student Union Government (SUG), RSUST, Mr. Godswill Amadi said yes, federal government has met one of ASUU’s demands.

“So, probably on Monday, the strike will be called off”, he assumed.

ASUU members feel they had so many disappointments in the past and so would not take anything for granted.

Just last Thursday, the Minister of Education, Prof. Ruquyyatu Ahmed Rufai again, expressed optimism that the strike embarked upon by ASUU would soon come to an end.

Her words: “We are going to meet again with ASUU on Monday, and it is our hope and desire that after that meeting, we expect that they will call off the strike”.

I think what is left are one or two grey areas that need to be addressed and Nigerians and undergraduates wish the federal government to reach a compromise with the lecturers. There is a concensus that universities should come back to normal.

With the move by the federal government, to resolve the crisis, public university undergraduates should expect positive results from today’s meeting.

Eunice Choko-Kayode

Education

IAUE Trains HODs, Deans Ahead of NUC Resource Verification

Published

2 days ago

August 17, 2026

The Tide

The Academic Planning Unit of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, IAUE, has organized a Pre-Resource Assessment Workshop for Heads of Department and Deans as part of preparations for the forthcoming NUC Resource Verification exercise.

The workshop held on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at the Postgraduate Hall of the University. It drew professors, deans and HODs from across faculties.

Declaring the workshop open on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Okechukwu Onuchukwu, the University Librarian, Prof. Emmanuel Okwu, welcomed principal officers and other participants. He described the session as critical to ensuring the University’s readiness for the NUC assessment.

Prof. Okwu stressed that the exercise was not routine but a strategic step toward meeting national standards. He urged participants to take the presentations seriously and implement recommendations in their departments.

The Director of the Academic Planning Unit, in his welcome address, said the workshop was designed to assess the level of preparedness of departments ahead of the verification. He noted that the University had already invested significantly in facilities and staffing and was now awaiting the NUC team.

Three resource persons took participants through key aspects of the verification process. The Director of Academic Planning, Prof. Joseph Kinanee, spoke on “NUC Resource Verification and Their Requirements.”

Prof. Levi Doe Kalagbor, Director of Quality Assurance, addressed “The Role of Staff in Successful Resource Verification Exercise.” Prof. Isaac Ogundu, Dean of the Faculty of Vocational and Technical Education, presented on “NUC Scoring Format/Guide and Its Implication for Approval Status.”

The presentations were followed by an interactive question-and-answer session. Participants sought clarifications on documentation, facilities and staffing ratios, and received detailed responses from the facilitators.

In his closing remarks, Prof. Okwu thanked everyone for their active participation and engagement. He expressed optimism that IAUE would record a successful outcome in the upcoming NUC resource verification. The programme ended with a closing prayer and refreshments.

Education

UNIPORT VC Hails Postgraduate School Over Planned International Conference

Published

2 days ago

August 17, 2026

The Tide

The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Chike Princewill, has commended the School of Graduate Studies for initiating an international conference, describing it as a timely move to boost research output, academic excellence and the University’s global visibility.

Prof. Princewill gave the commendation on Friday while receiving members of the conference planning committee set up by the School. The delegation was led by the Associate Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, Prof. Doris Adameh.

He applauded the committee for conceiving the project and urged members to pursue it with diligence and strategic planning. According to him, such academic gatherings are critical to positioning UNIPORT as a hub for cutting-edge research in the region and beyond.

The Vice-Chancellor specifically charged the committee to engage the University’s alumni as strategic partners in the execution of the conference. He noted that their networks, experience and resources would add significant value to the event.

Prof. Princewill further directed the team to reach out to former postgraduate students of the University to solicit their support and cooperation. He said their involvement would help ensure wider participation and a more successful hosting.

He stressed that alumni remain vital stakeholders in the University’s growth agenda. “Their contributions can significantly enhance the success of the event and strengthen our academic and research profile,” he stated.

Earlier in her remarks, Prof. Adameh said the committee was constituted by the School of Graduate Studies to plan and deliver an international conference that meets global standards. She noted that the process was already underway.

Prof. Adameh explained that the conference is designed to bring together scholars, researchers and professionals from across the world. The goal, she added, is to advance knowledge exchange and foster academic collaboration that will benefit both the University and the wider scholarly community.

By: Amadi Akujobi

Education

Education Commissioner hails RSU’S growth research as key to rivers development

Published

2 days ago

August 17, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Peters Nwagor, has commended Rivers State University, RSU, for its resilience, academic growth and research contributions, describing the institution as critical to the state’s socio-economic development.

Dr. Nwagor gave the commendation on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, during an official visit to the University in Nkpolu-Oroworukwo. He held talks with principal officers, provosts, campus heads, deans and directors at the Dr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike Senate Building.

The Commissioner said the visit was to engage the University’s leadership on consolidating gains and strengthening capacity for quality teaching, cutting-edge research, innovation and community service. He noted that RSU occupies a strategic position in the state’s development agenda.

Reaffirming government’s commitment, Dr. Nwagor said education remains the bedrock of human capital development and economic transformation. He stressed that investments in infrastructure, staff development and digital learning must be matched with strong institutional systems, transparency and measurable outcomes.

He urged the University to prioritize key performance indicators such as accreditation performance, research output, internally generated revenue, student outcomes and graduate employability. According to him, these metrics should drive continuous improvement across faculties.

Dr. Nwagor also charged RSU to accelerate its digital transformation, establish research and innovation hubs to solve real societal problems, and maintain existing infrastructure. He advised management to explore sustainable funding through grants, endowments, alumni engagement and strategic industry partnerships.

The Commissioner emphasized that government and the University must play complementary roles. While government meets its statutory funding obligations, he said, the institution must strengthen internal efficiency and pursue legitimate private-sector collaborations.

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi, appreciated the State Government for its sustained support. He highlighted last year’s budgetary intervention for accreditation, approval of funds for the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies Film Festival slated for November 2026, and the implementation of the new minimum wage for RSU staff.

Prof. Zeb-Obipi, however, drew attention to pressing challenges. He cited shortages of teaching and non-teaching staff ahead of accreditation exercises, inadequate classrooms, libraries, equipment and office spaces, and acute accommodation deficits for staff and students.

The Vice-Chancellor appealed for support to recruit more personnel, retain retired academics on contract, and engage sabbatical and adjunct lecturers. He also requested funding for NUC and professional accreditation scheduled for October, stressing that successful outcomes are vital to RSU’s competitiveness. He reaffirmed management’s commitment to work with government to position RSU as a leading centre of knowledge, research and innovation.

By Amadi Akujobi