Calls
on FG to Avert another Prolonged Closure of Public Polytechnics and Colleges of
Education
Wednesday 15 October 2014 marks the
expiration of the 3-months grace the unions in the Polytechnic and Colleges of
Education subsector gave to the Federal government for the implementation of
their demands failing which they would resume their suspended strikes. The
unions are the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) and the Colleges of
Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU).
Three months after, several of the
fundamental demands of both unions especially as pertain to funding, working
conditions, removal of disparity between HND and B.Sc certificates and
migration of lower cadres on CONTISS 15 have not been met.
The Education Rights Campaign (ERC)
therefore calls on the Federal government to immediately meet and begin
implementation of all outstanding demands of ASUP and COEASU in order to avert
resumption of industrial action.
In announcing suspension of their
indefinite strikes in July 2014, both unions had expressed hope that the new
Minister of Education Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau going by his antecedent as a
classroom teacher would facilitate the process of resolving the outstanding
issues of the strike. Three months after, this hope is being dashed. While the
Ministry of Education claims to be holding several meetings over the demands of
the unions, there has been no real positive outcome to show for it.
The ERC is concerned that the President
Jonathan-led Federal government is so contemptuous of public education that it
would risk the possibility of another prolonged closure of the Polytechnics and
Colleges of Education. Evidently, this anti-poor capitalist government needs to
be taught a lesson that workers, students and ordinary Nigerians would not
tolerate being taken for granted.
The ERC wholeheartedly supports the
struggle of ASUP and COEASU aimed at repositioning the public polytechnics and
Colleges of Education. We shall also be prepared to offer solidarity to the
unions at all times until the agitation for the repositioning of the public
polytechnics and Colleges of Education is accomplished.
.
Hassan
Taiwo Soweto Michael Ogundele
National
Coordinator National Secretary
07033697259
No comments:
Post a Comment