The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has declared that it
would begin an indefinite strike starting from December 12, 2018. The
polytechnic lecturers will join their university colleagues who have
been on strike since November 4th to press home their demands with the
Federal Government. The National President of ASUP, Usman Dutse, in a
chat with Premium Times said the federal government had failed to meet
the demands of the polytechnic lecturers. Prior to this impending
strike, the union had on October 2 issued a 21-day ultimatum to the
government before it extended it to November. But even then, it did not
commence the strike. Mr Dutse said the proposed strike would be
“total and indefinite. This further emphasises the resolution of the
93rd National Executive Council meeting reached at the Yaba College of
Technology, Lagos last week. Government has failed to implement and
fulfil agreements it reached with the union as contained in the
memorandum of understanding signed,” he said. ASUP went on strike in
November 2017; but when the federal government reached an agreement to
implement the recommendations of the 2014 NEEDS assessment, the strike
was suspended 15 days after. The agreement particularly highlighted the
need for increased funding of polytechnics. Dutse also said the roles
of state government and the National Assembly is not encouraging when
it comes to funding the education sector. “The issue of the funding of
the institutions has always been a major concern. After the government
conducted the NEEDS assessment in 2014, it promised to implement it.
Years after, there is no designed roadmap to implement that”.Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics to begin nationwide strike on December 12
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has declared that it
would begin an indefinite strike starting from December 12, 2018. The
polytechnic lecturers will join their university colleagues who have
been on strike since November 4th to press home their demands with the
Federal Government. The National President of ASUP, Usman Dutse, in a
chat with Premium Times said the federal government had failed to meet
the demands of the polytechnic lecturers. Prior to this impending
strike, the union had on October 2 issued a 21-day ultimatum to the
government before it extended it to November. But even then, it did not
commence the strike. Mr Dutse said the proposed strike would be
“total and indefinite. This further emphasises the resolution of the
93rd National Executive Council meeting reached at the Yaba College of
Technology, Lagos last week. Government has failed to implement and
fulfil agreements it reached with the union as contained in the
memorandum of understanding signed,” he said. ASUP went on strike in
November 2017; but when the federal government reached an agreement to
implement the recommendations of the 2014 NEEDS assessment, the strike
was suspended 15 days after. The agreement particularly highlighted the
need for increased funding of polytechnics. Dutse also said the roles
of state government and the National Assembly is not encouraging when
it comes to funding the education sector. “The issue of the funding of
the institutions has always been a major concern. After the government
conducted the NEEDS assessment in 2014, it promised to implement it.
Years after, there is no designed roadmap to implement that”.
