Education

Abia Poly workers protest 11 months unpaid salary

Published

6 years ago

April 10, 2018

Academic activities were on Monday grounded at the Abia State Polytechnic Aba, the commercial nerve of the party state, as staff and students of the institution held a peaceful protest against 11 months salary arrears.

The demonstration which took place at the main entrance of the Polytechnic along Aba-Owerri expressway caused serious gridlock as the protesting staff and their students brandished placards with inscriptions such as “Mr. Rector pay me my 11 months salary”.

In an interview the president Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Polytechnics (SSANIP), Abia State Chapter, Comrade Nwachukwu Chucks accused the polytechnic management of punishing them and their families by allegedly using the subventions released to them by the state government for workers salaries to pay contractors handling projects in the state.

“This morning, we are kick-starting our industrial actions to drive home our demand for the payment of our unpaid 11 months’ salary. We were last paid in April 2017.

“Since April 2017, no worker in Abia Poly has received any money as salary. Our union due for 14 months which was deducted from source was not remitted to the union. The management converted it into private use.

“Also cooperatve dues which were also deducted from members salaries were also converted by the same management into their own use.

“The most annoying part of all these issues is that the Abia State government graciously gave 2months subventions of the Paris Refund to the management of this institution, but instead of them to use it to pay suffering workers, they resulted to be using the money to pay contractors handling projects within the school. Money meant for our salary was converted by this present management into what they want to use to pay contractors simply because they want their cut of it.

“We have been patient enough. After sending notice to the management, instead of them to respond to the issue they resulted to the use of violence and intimidation. They used the money that could have been used as part of salaries to invite the army. Will the Army drive the hunger in our stomachs? Will they bring back our children who are out of school back to school? Most of us have been ejected out of their houses by their landlords.

“We can’t pay our medical bills and yet we work every day in this polytechnic. We are saying no. It’s either they pay us or, or we stop working. We are using this opportunity to call the state government to do something serious.

“One is to release more money to clear off more backlogs of our salaries; two is to prove this present management to ascertain how they have been managing this school since 2017 that they were appointed.”

The Chairman of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Comrade Umah Godswill, said that the polytechnic’s management has refused to pay them even after the Third Trench of the Paris Refund by the federal government.

“The worst part of it is that we notified them that we are going on industrial action this morning instead of them to respond in a good way, they brought Hilux of Soldiers to cover the entire school. Tell me, what are soldiers doing in this academic environment? They want to use that to molest and intimidate us. This action has made us angry. I took the Rector to House of Assembly and over there; he openly said that the government is doing good, that they have released all the subventions to the institution to the tune of January this year. So, why are we been owed? We are here on the streets to let the public know that we are fade up. We are frustrated. We are not going to work again.”

Some of the students who were in solidarity with the lecturers, called on the state government to intervene and save their academics which would suffer because of the strike.

According to Princess, a Final Year Student of Public Administration, “This is 11 months and our lecturers have not been paid. We have paid our schools fees, our departmental fees and every other necessary bill they demanded from us yet, they cannot pay our lecturers.

“This is very unfair. Almost All the students have paid their fees and still they’ve not been paid. They’ve been teaching us since this semester.

“They’ve got families too. We are supposed to be writing our exams, but we cannot do that now because they are going on strike. Please let them pay them. Let them call them to round table and discuss. Let the state government do something. Our exams ought to start on 22nd and with this strike now; we are back to sitting at home and hoping for help. This is unfair.” (The Nation)

Education

Federal Government Sets To Commence School-To-Work Scheme

Published

6 hours ago

May 3, 2024

Alice Ginika Simon

The Federal Government says plans are underway to launch a school-to-work scheme to enable youths to become productive and self-employed.

The Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Hamid Bobboyi disclosed this in Abuja during a meeting with Commissioners of Education, Executive State and FCT Universal Basic Chairmen, Education Boards and UBEC on the School-to-Work Scheme.

Bobboyi in his keynote address, disclosed that the target group for the scheme are learners in the junior secondary schools. He added that it will provide them the opportunity to detect early in life where their talents and potential lie, between academic pursuit and vocational skills development.

Explaining how the Scheme will run, the UBEC Boss stated that it is structured to provide at least six months training, broken into two months per year of study in the junior secondary school.

Also speaking, the Director Basic Education, Federal Ministry of Education, Dr. Folake Davies, stated that the Scheme which is inline with the road map policy of the ministry, is designed to provide youths with the requisite experience necessary to excel whenever they find themselves in the working environment.

The Director, who was represented by Rose Onoja stated that only collaborative effort from the Federal, State, and Local Government levels and active involvement from the private sector will make the implementation of the program successful. Liberate actions to mitigate the living conditions of their constituents.

Education

Fake University Degree Holders Soon To Be Fished Out And Arrested – Minister Of Education Announces

Published

1 month ago

April 3, 2024

Alice Ginika Simon

The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, on Tuesday, said security agencies will go after individuals with fake university certificates in the country.

According to the minister, the individuals will be tracked after the committee set up by the Federal Government to investigate the activities of university certificate racketeers in the country submits its report.

The Federal Government had set up an Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee on Degree Certificate Milling to probe the activities of certificate racketeers following an investigative report published by Daily Nigerian which exposed the activities of degree mills in the Benin Republic.

The investigative report, which exposed the illegalities perpetrated by some tertiary institutions in the West African countries, led to the Nigerian government placing a ban on the accreditation and evaluation of degrees from Benin Republic and Togo.

The committee set up by the Federal Government was also tasked with investigating Nigerian private universities established in the last 15 years. Recently, the committee invited memoranda from the public. Selected members of the committee also visited institutions in the Benin Republic.

While speaking at the first quarterly citizens engagement in Abuja on Tuesday, the education minister, Mamman, said;

“On the issue of the fake degrees, we set up a committee and we expect them to submit their reports soon. Once the report is submitted, I can assure you that individuals with fake certificates will be apprehended. They will be tracked by security agencies.”

Also speaking at the engagement, the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tanko Sununu, noted that the quarterly citizenship engagement was aimed at creating awareness of the activities of the ministry.

He noted that the engagement would “ also promote mutual understanding with stakeholders and citizens, build and sustain public trust, and improve transparency and accountability in the sector.”

“Worthy of mention is that this engagement also aims to improve efficiency and streamline government operations by identifying and addressing bottlenecks,” Sununu said.

Education

Stakeholders Head To Enugu For First South East Educators Conference

Published

2 months ago

March 16, 2024

Alice Ginika Simon

Stakeholders in the education circle are warming up for the maiden edition of Southeast Educators’ Conference 2024(SEEC’24).

The two-day SEEC’24 scheduled to hold 18th & 19th, April 2024 at Nike Lake Resort, Enugu under theme: Future-‘Focused Learning – Igniting the Competitive Edge’

Promises to host key players in the education sector with a potential attendance of over 500 delegates.
The conference will feature a diverse lineup of speakers, covering topics ranging from holistic learning approaches to cutting-edge technology integration.

Speaking ahead of the conference, Mrs Doris Chinedu-Okoro,CEO, Evergreen Group, said SEEC’24 is the first of its kind in the Southeast region, presenting a historic opportunity for stakeholders to pioneer positive change in the local education sector.
“It brings together diverse perspectives and innovative ideas,fostering collaboration and networking among educators and stakeholders.
Hundreds of delegates will be in attendance.
“SEEC’24 is dedicated to exploring transformative practices, emphasising holistic learning, technology integration, globalcitizenship, life-long learning, and community engagement”, she said.

Mr. Osita Chidioka, the former Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation, who recently launched an online mentorship and leadership programme for Nigerian youths named Mekaria Mentorship Programme (MMP) Foundation Course, will deliver the keynote at SEEC’24.

Prof. Pieter Verdegem; Dr. Joy Isa, Mrs. Bukola Adewuiyi, Lady Uju Dike, Fr. John Njorteah, Alex Onyia, Rotimi Eyitayo, Rhoda Odigboh, Elfrida Diete-Spiff Omole, Dr. ChibuezeLawrence Ofobuike, Ify Obidi-Essien, Dr. Abimbola Ogundere, Angelina Ikeako, Odetola Ebenezer Israel and OgochukwuOnyia, are some of the speakers lined up for the event.

The Evergreen Group CEO added that the conference thrives on a vision to create a dynamic platform that equips educators with the tools and knowledge needed to make a lasting impact on the educational landscape of South-Eastern Nigeria.

SEEC’24 is open to School Owners, Heads of Schools (Public and Private), Educational Stakeholders, Counselors, Teachers, Parents, Investors, Startups, and others in the education ecosystem.
“Participants will have the opportunity to engage in two full days of conference sessions, diving deep into the future of Education.
“There will be ample networking opportunities with school leaders from across the geopolitical zone and beyond.
“The evening Gala Night promises a delightful atmosphere for dancing, dining, wining, and fostering deeper connections in a relaxed setting”, she further explained.

Registration is N100,000 via: https://bit.ly/3uTcv9e