Nigeria Universities – Polytechnics and College of Education news Nigerian Educational News | Zenith Of Educational NewsTHE college of education academic staff union (COEASU) has shown indication, that the strike might be called off tomorrow, the 15th of July 2014.
This is truly good news to all students of the colleges of education, that the striking members of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) may suspend their nine-month strike tomorrow, following a planned intervention by the Joint Governing Boards of Colleges of Education.
According to the Chairman, governing Boards of Colleges of Education, Senator Emmanuel Anosike, who said that members of the governing boards had taken it upon themselves to act as intermediaries between the union and the government to resolve the strike, and let students return back to school.
Senator Emmanuel also went on to disclose that a meeting would hold between members of the boards, the union, representatives of the government and the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), next Tuesday at 11a.m.
He further went on say this and we quote:
“The members of the boards would take it upon themselves to ensure that whatever resolutions are reached, are implemented by government,” he said.
The meeting would discuss all the grey areas, present the report to the new minister of education, proceed and hold a press briefing after wards and COEASU would call off the strike hopefully.
If we decide to wait and follow the pattern the ministry is using, there is the tendency that we will wait a bit longer before the strike is called off,” Anosike is quoted saying.
The minister also went on say that there is a law, which says that if you do not work, you will not be paid. The federal government implemented it, but the same government had encouraged us, saying that if they suspend the strike and return to the classroom, the arrears would be paid. The Minister of Education has also been saying that”
He further went on to clarified that the union was concerned about the non-victimisation of its member for having participated in the nine-month strike.
Anosike gave further details into why the strike had lingered.
“One of the main reason is that after the federal government had given its approval on the issue of migration for polytechnics and colleges of education, somehow, another letter from the newly appointed ministry of education to the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP) emanated on the same issue”.
He also disclosed that the COEASU therefore requested for its own letter separately too, before it would consider suspending the strike.
“Our position is that the initial letter from President Jonathan supersedes any other letter and as such we should concentrate on the content of Mr. President’s letter so that we can move on,” he said.
Anosike emphasised that a holistic approach of ensuring equity and fairness in the tertiary sub-sector would be the only solution to the incessant strikes in the sector.
“Why should a Ph.D holder in a College of Education not work towards becoming a professor in spite of the degree of research he conducts. These politics do not make sense any longer and it is time we changed this colonial style and stop this selection”.
Mr. Asagha Okoro also confirmed that the College of education academic staff union was willing to suspend the strike in deference to the planned intervention by the chairmen of councils of (CoEs).
Mr. Asagha said and we quote:
“Yes, as soon as that is done, negotiations would be ongoing between the minister and the union, but let us at least get them to release the salaries that have been withheld since the past months and assure us that people are not going to be victimised for participating in the strike,” Okoro added, only then can we call off the strike.
It’s important to note that the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union, (COEASU) did embarked on an indefinite strike to press home the implementation of their demands from the federal government since the 18th of December, 2013.
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