The Nigerian University Commission (NUC) has directed all universities to resume academic activities following the suspension of a ten-month-old industrial action by the Academic Staff union of Universities (ASUU).
The NUC’s Deputy Executive Secretary (Administration), Chris Maiyaki, on behalf of the Executive Secretary, Professor Abubakar Rasheed said vice-chancellors of universities should return to work on January 18.
In the statement seen by Grassroots.ng, the NUC added that the directive was in accordance with the directive of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, noting further that universities must under no circumstance violate the full cycle of the semester system.
It also urged universities to safeguard lives by strictly adhering to the extant safety protocols and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) guidelines, which have been communicated severally through NUC’s circulars.
“I am to add that universities on resumption of academic activities must under no circumstance violate the full cycle of the semester system, consistent with the Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) approved by the NUC, as well as other extant quality assurance standards and guidelines,” the statement noted.
The new resumption date ordered by the NUC came less than two weeks after ASUU suspended its ten-month-old strike after the federal government met their demands, including paying the lecturers their outstanding salaries using an older payment platform, GIFMIS.