Education
LASG, Striking Poly Workers Reach Compromise
Striking Non-
Academic Staff Unions at the Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH) at Ikorodu, have entered in an agreement to suspend their ongoing strike.
The decision to suspend the strike followed an agreement the striking unions reached with the management of the polytechnic and the Lagos State Government.
Chairman of the LASPOTECH chapter of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Polytechnics (SSANIP), Mr Awoyemi Abiodun, confirmed the development in an interview with newsmen in Lagos last Thursday.
Members of the Non-academic Staff Union and SSANIP had on October 20 and October 21, respectively embarked on peaceful protest, declaring an indefinite strike to press some their demands.
The unions were demanding that the management of the polytechnic must pay arrears of the Consolidated Tertiary Institution Salary Structure (CONTISS 15) migration to lower cadre staff from 2009.
However, Abiodun said that the unions, the polytechnic’s management and representatives of the State Government had met at Alausa on October 25 to resolve the issues.
He said that an agreement was reached at the meeting that the payment of the increment would commence this month.
According to him, another meeting will be scheduled after the strike is suspended to negotiate how the arrears will be paid.
The unionist said the union was however, awaiting a document from the government to back the agreement before suspending the strike.
“It will be unreasonable and illogical for the union to suspend the strike without any legal document to back the agreement reached between the parties.
“Hopefully, by the end of the day, the document should be ready and would reach us, then we can now resolve on how to end the strike.”
The Acting Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Prof. Okechuku Onuchuku, emphasised the need for students to go beyond academic achievements during the university’s 43rd Convocation ceremony.
The theme, “The University Culture In Practice, The IAUE Experience,” highlights the importance of embracing cherished traditions and intellectual values that define great universities.
Prof. Onuchuku encouraged the new graduates to work hard and persevere, noting that their convocation marks a new beginning in their careers and personal lives. He emphasised that they must prove themselves worthy of the certificates and prizes they have received.
According to him, out of 2,887 first-degree graduands, four made First Class, 403 secured Second Class Upper, 2,030 got Second Class Lower, and 450 graduated with Third Class. Additionally, 1,492 postgraduate students graduated, including 306 PhD holders.
The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd), praised the university’s commitment to academic excellence and institutional maturity. He commended the Acting Vice Chancellor for achieving full accreditation for 47 academic programmes and implementing the NUC’s Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards.
The administrator urged the new graduates to uphold the positive values instilled in them by the university and strive for continuous knowledge and improvement.
By: King Onunwor
The Niger Delta Students Union Government, Rivers State Chapter (NIDSUG), has suspended its planned protest against the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) state office in Port Harcourt. The suspension followed an intervention by the state Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju.
The students had planned to protest on Thursday, citing alleged neglect by the NDDC, particularly in welfare and capacity-building programmes for students from the state. However, after the police intervention, the students agreed to participate in a roundtable discussion with the commission to address their concerns.
NIDSUG leader, Comrade Loveday Njoku, expressed dissatisfaction with the commission’s alleged exclusion of students from benefiting from its programmes. He presented a seven-point demand, including the reintroduction of scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Njoku emphasised that education is crucial for community development and urged the commission to invest in the future leaders of the state.
The students warned that if their demands are not met, they will resume the protest and occupy the state commission office until their demands are addressed. Despite previous attempts to reach out to the commission’s management team, the students claimed their efforts were unsuccessful.
By: Akujobi Amadi
As part of efforts to improve the welfare and overall quality of education for students in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, the Sole Administrator, Sir (Dr.) Clifford Ndu Walter DSSRS, FCAI, JP, paid an unscheduled visit to Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi.
During the visit, Sir Walter expressed deep concern over the deplorable state of the school and its surrounding environment. He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the development of the education sector, stressing its critical role in nation-building.
“I have visited the primary school in Ogbogoro, and now I’m here at the Universal Primary School, Rumukwurusi. I am not satisfied with what I’ve seen,” he stated, indicating that more surprise visits to schools would follow.
To address the issues, the Sole Administrator directed the Council Engineer to commence process for rehabilitation of the school.
The visit was part of a broader initiative aimed at conducting on-the-spot assessments of educational facilities to determine the level of intervention required by the local government council.
Dr. Walter also assured the teachers of his unwavering commitment to revamp the school and improve the learning environment for both staff and students.