Education

NURSS Urges FG, ASUU To Reach Agreement … Tells Lecturers To Call Off Strike

Published

14 years ago

January 30, 2012

We want the Federal Government to see to our plight, we are tired of staying at home, we want to go back to school, since two months they closed down the schools.”

“I want to go back to school, I want to go back to class to learn.”

“We are asking ASUU and FG to call off the strike immediately; we need lectures, we want to go back to the classrooms.”

These were the views of some members of National Union of Rivers State Students (NURSS), as they caused obstruction on the Choba axis of the East West road, last Friday, protesting that the strike embarked upon by Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has lasted for too long.

The protesters expressed worry over the strike which has kept them at home for two months now saying both Federal government and ASUU have refused to reach an agreement.

Speaking to newsmen, the National President of NURSS, Mr. Warmate Awoloye, said that the students have decided to take their destiny into their hands and can no longer stay at home.

“It is the duty of the students to come out to say what is bad or how we are being treated.

“The federal government has not attended to the issues of ASUU and they have decided to keep us at home, we are saying we cannot continue”.

Also speaking, the Student Union (SUG) President, Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Mr. Godswill Amadi, urged the federal government to show some level of responsibility and advised ASUU and Federal government to have a roundtable discussion that would lead to a decision.

“I want to request ASUU and federal government to go back to negotiation table, the students are running off time, we are going off patience and we request ASUU to shift ground including federal government.

“Federal government should show some level of responsibility while ASUU should show patriotism, both parties should go back to negotiation table and come up with a decision that would be favourable to the students”.

Expressing his views, the SUG President, Uniport, Mr. Owokiri Orinno, advised federal government and ASUU to shift ground so that the students would resume studies as soon as possible.

“We are not happy with both parties, if they really want the future of Nigeria, I think they should shift ground and make it fast so that we go back to classroom.

“I am not happy, other students are not also happy. If they don’t call off the strike after 30th, we shall carry out a protest and in that protest, we are neither supporting ASUU nor federal government”.

In an exclusive interview, with The Tide, in Port Harcourt, the NURSS national President, Warmate Awoloye, said federal government and ASUU should be reminded of our position as stakeholders and as such we need to be handled with utmost priority.

He lamented that if they have no wherewithal to study abroad, they should not be pushed to become hoodlums as a result of strike.

According to him, “some of us have forgotten our matriculation numbers because four (4)-year courses have lasted for 6-8 years.

“We always bear the brunt of all their fights and we stand to say enough of that.”

It would be recalled that after the meeting between the federal government and ASUU at Abuja, last Tuesday, ASUU National President, Prof Ukachukwu Awuzie, told newsmen that ASUU would delibrerate on offers made to them by the federal government.

Prof. Awuzie insisted that the outcome of their meeting would determine whether the strike should continue or be called off.

His words: “Whatever gave rise to the strike also gave rise to discussions”.

The minister of Education, Prof. Ruquyyatu Rufai, who also spoke to journalists declined to disclose the terms of the offer and said: “It is after the meeting that we will hear the outcome”..

Prof. Rufai noted that the federal government remained hopeful that ASUU would accept its offer and call off the strike soon.

Eunice Choko-Kayode

Education

FG, ASUU Set Date to Sign Agreement

Published

2 days ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Government is set to formally sign an agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities following weeks of negotiations.

The development may be linked to the 40 per cent salary increase for academic staff proposed by the FG last month and accepted by the union.

A circular issued by the Ministry of Education invited Vice-Chancellors and Registrars of federal universities to witness the signing ceremony scheduled for Wednesday, January 14, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at the Tertiary Education Trust Fund Conference Hall, Abuja.

The circular, dated January 5, 2026, and referenced FME/IS/UNI/ASUU/C.11/Vol.V/82, was signed by the Director of University Education, Rakiya Ilyasu, on behalf of the Minister of Education.

It was titled ‘Invitation to the Ceremony for the Signing of Agreement Between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities.’

The circular was sighted by our correspondent on Saturday and confirmed by the Ministry’s Director, Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade.

“This signing represents a critical milestone in promoting industrial harmony and improving teaching and learning in our universities.

“It also reaffirms the Federal Government’s commitment to the sustainable development of education in line with the Renewed

Attendance at the ceremony was declared mandatory for all invited university administrators, highlighting the importance attached to the agreement and its implementation.

Last month, the industrial crisis that had burdened Nigeria’s university system for 16 years following the 2009 Federal Government–ASUU Agreement saw the union accept the Federal Government’s proposed 40 per cent salary increase for academic staff.

It was reported that the deal, effective from January 1, 2026, would be reviewed after three years

Why FG Shouldn’t Be Blamed for Non-Implementation of Council Autonomy

Under the new terms, professors will earn a pension equivalent to their final annual salary upon retirement at age 70. The agreement also provides for the establishment of a National Research Council to fund research with at least one per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product.

Other provisions include improved funding for libraries, laboratories, equipment and staff development, greater university autonomy, and the election of academic leaders, with only professors eligible to serve as deans and provosts. The pact also guarantees that no staff member involved in past industrial actions will be victimised.

Education

DSS, Rector Warn Kogi Poly Students Against Vices,Rumours

Published

2 days ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

The Kogi State Directorate of the Department of State Services (DSS) has warned fresh students of Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, that security on campus is a shared responsibility, stressing that carelessness, poor judgment and rumour-mongering pose and ostentatious living pose greater dangers than most real threats.

The Director of the Department in the state, gave the warning in his speech, titled,”MANAGING SECURITY AND RUMORS ON CAMPUS at the 33rd Matriculation Ceremony for the students of 2025/2026 academic session of the Polytechnic on Thursday in Lokoja.

The director, represented by A. S. MUSA, emphasised that while Lokoja remains largely peaceful, no campus is immune from security challenges.

He identified theft of phones, laptops and wallets, infiltration of hostels by unauthorised persons, risky late-night movements and online scams targeting fresh students as recurring threats, most of which, he noted, are preventable through vigilance and discipline.

The security agency cautioned students against behaviours that weaken personal safety, including lack of security consciousness, predictable routines, drug abuse, drunkenness, sexual recklessness, ostentatious living and the lure of secret cults.

According to the DSS director,cultism, often disguised as “protection,” ultimately places students under violent control systems with devastating consequences, while flamboyant lifestyles and careless displays of wealth attract criminal attention.

Our correspondent reports that a major focus of the lecture was the danger of rumours, which the DSS described as “more destructive than real threats.”

According to him,false alerts about kidnappers, armed attacks, school closures or emergency evacuations,often spread through WhatsApp messages and voice notes,have previously triggered panic, stampedes and academic disruption on campuses, sometimes putting lives at risk without any verified danger.School supplies

He, therefore, advised to verify information strictly through official Polytechnic channels such as management announcements, Student Affairs notices and campus security units. The DSS boss warned that forwarding unconfirmed messages makes students unwitting accomplices in spreading fear and destabilising the academic environment.

On personal safety, he also urged students to always carry their identity cards, avoid lonely and poorly lit areas at night, secure their hostel rooms, challenge suspicious strangers and promptly report unusual activities.

He cautioned students to remain calm, obedient to lawful instructions and refuse to act on hearsay, adding that these virtues are critical responses during emergencies.

The DSS director reminded the matriculating students that security goes beyond physical safety to include protection of reputation, mental stability and future prospects.

By rejecting rumours, cultism and reckless living, and by embracing responsibility and alertness, students can be rest assured that Kogi State Polytechnic can remain a safe, peaceful and conducive centre of learning for all.

Declaring event open, the Rector of the Polytechnic, Prof.Salisu Ogba Usman, matriculated 4,591 students into seven schools and 57 academic programmes of the Polytechnic.

“Of this number,2460 students (54 percent) are admitted into National Diploma Progrmes, while 2,131 students (46 percent)are admitted into Higher National Diploma 1 programmes”,Usman said.

He further reviewed that 19 out of the 57 Programmes currently run by the polytechnic were introduced under the present administration in the state.

Prof.Usmam expressed the continued commitment of the Polytechnic to uphold discipline, transparency,and zero tolerance for all forms of social Vices ,while promoting peaceful coexistence,responsible leadership and mutual respect.

“Our emphasis on security, moral discipline and academic integrity is non-, negotiable and central to our institutional philosophy,” the Rector stressed.

He urged the new students to take full advantage of the opportunities available in the Polytechnic and to conduct themselves in ways that will bring honour to their families ,the Polytechnic and the nation at large.

Usman said the polytechnic has pursued inclusive leadership by institutionalizing transparency, strengthening staff welfare engagement,and integrating student leadership into governance processes.

According to him the gender distribution is equally encouraging, with 52 percent, male and 48 percent female, representing steady progress in the gender balance of the Polytechnic.

He promised that the “shall continue to uphold discipline, transparency and zero tolerance for all forms of social vices,while promoting peaceful coexistence,responsible leadership and mutual respect.

The Rector stressed that the emphasis of the Polytechnic on security, moral discipline and academic integrity is non-negotiable and central to its institutional philosophy.

He urged the new students to take full advantage of the opportunities available in the polytechnic and conduct themselves in ways that will bring honour to their families,the polytechnic and the nation at large.

“Together we shall continue to reposition Kogi State Polytechnic as a reference point for excellence in polytechnic education in Nigeria,” he promised.

Education

FG Bans Disposable workbooks, introduces reusable textbooks in schools

Published

2 days ago

January 12, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Government has rolled out a new education policy banning disposable workbooks and mandating the use of reusable, high-quality textbooks in schools, in a move aimed at reducing the rising cost of education for parents, improving learning outcomes and promoting environmental sustainability.School supplies

The policy was unveiled by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, alongside the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaba Sai’d, as part of sweeping reforms targeted at repositioning Nigeria’s education sector and easing the financial burden on families.

Under the new framework, schools are required to adopt standardised and durable textbooks designed to last between four and six years.

The policy expressly prohibits the practice of bundling disposable workbooks with textbooks, a practice the government says has inflated school expenses and contributed to unnecessary waste.

According to the ministers, the reusable textbook initiative will enable siblings to share learning materials across academic sessions, significantly reduce recurring education costs for parents and limit waste generation within the school system, thereby advancing national sustainability goals.

As part of the broader reforms, the Federal Government has also introduced a uniform academic calendar to ensure consistency in teaching, learning and school planning across the country.