ASUU strike: VC advocates establishment of monitoring committee on agreements
University lecturers have been on strike since July 1.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin has called on the Federal Government and the Academic staff Union of Universities to create a “Monitoring Committee on Agreement”.
Mr. Ambali, who made the call on Monday in Ilorin, told journalists that this would help to forestall future disruption of academic activities.
He said this would ensure that agreements reached between both parties were faithfully implemented.
The Vice-Chancellor, VC, said the establishment of the committee was also necessary to minimise the chances of having conflicts which could be detrimental to tertiary education development in Nigeria.
“Whenever agreements are reached, we all know that all involved parties sign and the individuals go home with the signed documents.
“But nobody sits down to mediate between the two to ensure that what has been signed is being implemented.
“So, if there is a monitoring committee in place, ASUU can go to that committee and sound a note of warning that a particular aspect of the agreement is being neglected,” Mr. Ambali said.
The university lecturers have been on a nationwide indefinite strike since July 1.
This followed what it called government’s inability to keep to the October 2009 agreement reached by both parties.
The agreement was reached after two years of negotiation between the lecturers and a government team appointed by the then Education Minister, Obiageli Ezekwesili.
The government team was led by the then Pro-chancellor, University of Ibadan, Gamaliel Onosode, while ASUU’s team was led by its then president, Abdullahi Sule-Kano.
The agreement touched issues such as conditions of service for university lecturers, funding of universities, university autonomy and academic freedom, and issues which required legislation to implement.
Mr. Ambali, however, expressed the continued commitment of his university to providing improved teaching and learning environment for students to achieve their academic pursuits.
He said the training and retraining of staff remained a top priority of his administration.
The University of Ilorin, though a public university owned by the federal government, did not join the ASUU strike.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin has called on the Federal Government and the Academic staff Union of Universities to create a “Monitoring Committee on Agreement”.
Mr. Ambali, who made the call on Monday in Ilorin, told journalists that this would help to forestall future disruption of academic activities.
He said this would ensure that agreements reached between both parties were faithfully implemented.
The Vice-Chancellor, VC, said the establishment of the committee was also necessary to minimise the chances of having conflicts which could be detrimental to tertiary education development in Nigeria.
“Whenever agreements are reached, we all know that all involved parties sign and the individuals go home with the signed documents.
“But nobody sits down to mediate between the two to ensure that what has been signed is being implemented.
“So, if there is a monitoring committee in place, ASUU can go to that committee and sound a note of warning that a particular aspect of the agreement is being neglected,” Mr. Ambali said.
The university lecturers have been on a nationwide indefinite strike since July 1.
This followed what it called government’s inability to keep to the October 2009 agreement reached by both parties.
The agreement was reached after two years of negotiation between the lecturers and a government team appointed by the then Education Minister, Obiageli Ezekwesili.
The government team was led by the then Pro-chancellor, University of Ibadan, Gamaliel Onosode, while ASUU’s team was led by its then president, Abdullahi Sule-Kano.
The agreement touched issues such as conditions of service for university lecturers, funding of universities, university autonomy and academic freedom, and issues which required legislation to implement.
Mr. Ambali, however, expressed the continued commitment of his university to providing improved teaching and learning environment for students to achieve their academic pursuits.
He said the training and retraining of staff remained a top priority of his administration.
The University of Ilorin, though a public university owned by the federal government, did not join the ASUU strike.
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