Connect with us

Education

Federal Government To Pay ASUU N30bn Before November 6

Published

4 years ago

on

The Academic Staff Uinion of Universities (ASUU) will be paid the sum of N30bn on or before November 6, 2020, as part of the pending Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) of University teachers.

This was one of the resolutions on the ongoing dialogue between the Federal Government and ASUU on Thursday.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, said that Government has pledged to pay the sum of N40 billion.

He explained that out of that amount, N30 billion would be paid on or before 6th November, while the remaining N10 billion would be spread equally over two tranches to be paid on May 2021 and February 2022.

“The Government’s commitment to pay was in response to the demand by ASUU for the payment of two tranches of EAA which cumulate to N40 billion that has become overdue since November 2019.”

The minister said that though the Federal Government agreed to fulfil its financial obligations to ASUU members, particularly outstanding salaries and earned allowances, the parties could not agree on the mode of payment.

“The government’s side appealed to ASUU to enroll on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) platform in the meantime, and migrate back to the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS) after its efficacy had been proven through the necessary integrity tests. The Union refused, insisting on being exempted from IPPIS.

“The meeting also agreed that if UTAS passes all the different stages of the integrity test, which would involve the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), and after ascertaining its efficacy, it would be adopted for the payment of the University staff.”

Dr Ngige further revealed that the government also offered to pay, by the end of January 2021, the sum of N20 billion as funding for the revitalization of public universities, as well as seek for sources of alternative and additional funding of the university system, among other conclusions.

Earlier, the Minister had expressed a belief that the series of recent meetings, including the one convened on Tuesday by the Senate President, and activities such as the integrity test on UTAS done on Wednesday, would all culminate in the resolution of the crisis.

“At the meeting with the Senate President, we agreed on a work plan to achieve full conciliation so that students would go back to school.

“With the work done so far, both at the meeting with the Senate President and at the test run of the UTAS done at the Accountant-General’s office on Wednesday, we believe we will be able to break the ice.”

He explained that UTAS was designed strictly for the University system and could only be applied there, emphasising that Government never said it would use it to replace IPPIS.

“The situation is that the University system developed and configured UTAS to accommodate the peculiarities of that system as it affects the academic and even the non-academic staff.”

The Minister added that the government’s condition for considering UTAS as a suitable payment system for the University has always been that it would necessarily undergo three stages of the integrity test.

He disclosed that the first leg of the test had been done on Wednesday, while the two remaining stages would be done subsequently.

Also speaking, the president of ASUU, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, appealed to Government to treat the matter as a national emergency, as the Education sector needed urgent intervention.

“Education is in serious crisis; university education in particular needs urgent intervention. Unless it gets that, it would be difficult to achieve the desired stability in the system.”

He commended the government’s efforts towards a speedy resolution of the crisis and hoped that the process, which parties to the dispute had embarked on, would ultimately lead to a satisfactory solution.

Present at the meeting were the Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, SAN; Executive Chairman, National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, Ekpo Nta; Permanent Secretary, Labour and Employment, Dr Yerima Peter Tarfa, among others.

The meeting will be continued on Wednesday, 21st October to enable the leadership to consult their organs on the conclusions reached at this last meeting.

Related Topics:

Justice Okamgba is journalist at Grassroots.ng

Continue Reading

Education

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

Published

3 weeks ago

on

April 3, 2024

By

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.

Continue Reading

Education

Stakeholders Head To Enugu For First South East Educators Conference

Published

1 month ago

on

March 16, 2024

By

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

Continue Reading

Education

VDL: Essay Contest Alert For Senior Secondary School Students In Nigeria. Interesting Prizes For Winners Attached

Published

2 months ago

on

February 10, 2024

By

If you are a secondary School student in the senior category (SS1 – SS3) in Nigeria, Here is your chance to showcase your writing prowess in the “Values for daily living ESSAY CONTEST”

The VDL has set out in full motion to reward students who are eager to unleash their academic brilliance and challenge their inner strength.

This opportunity serves as a way to give back to the society by not only inculcating the values needed for a better society, But by additionally encouraging students to let their inner lights shine even brighter.

With the VDL Essay contest, Winners get to take home a whooping sum of;
₦500,000 For the student in place of the 1st Position,

₦300,000 For the student in place of the 2nd position, And

₦200,000 For the student in place of the 3rd position.

And it gets even better as the prize doesn’t just end here.
Winners will enjoy numerous benefits that will expose and propel them to a more beautiful journey ahead.

So what are you waiting for?

Are you a parent, A guardian, A teacher, A friend, Whoever you are, Share the Goodnews around and tell a friend to tell another friend.
Get that eligible student(s) registered as soon as possible as registrations will be ending on the 28th of February 2024.

To register and submit your essay, Visit the website by clicking on the link displayed on the Eflyer.

Please carefully read through the instructions on the website before registering.

Seize this moment to make your Narrative count!

Continue Reading

Trending