BREAKING News: ASUP Calls Off Strike: Polytechnics Resumes Next Week

The Academic Staff Union Of Polytechnic ASUP has suspended it’s one-year-old industrial action today, Saturday 12th July, 2014. According to the announcement made by the ASUP National Publicity Secretary, Clement Chirman, the decision to call off the ASUP strike was reached during the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held this morning.

The ASUP leaders held a meeting with the new Education Minister, Malllam Ibrahim Shekarau last week Thursday where a breakthrough in the conflict between the Federal Government and the striking lecturers was made.

Polytechnic Lecturers are expected to resume work next week Tuesday.

(MSG)

Fed Poly Idah Pulls Out Of ASUP Strike

The information reaching our desk indicates that the Federal Polytechnic, Idah has pulled out of the ongoing Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics strike and a resumption date has been announced for the students.

Here is a copy of a memo sent in from a student of Fed Poly Idah concerning the ASUP strike which was displayed at the school’s notice board;

THE FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC IDAH

To: Members of the Polytechnic Community
Ref: FPI/E R/50/V 10/197
From: Academic Affairs Division (Exams Records)
Date: 7th July, 2014

RESUMPTION OF ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES

This is to inform members of the Polytechnic Community, particularly the students of the Institution that the Academic Board has scheduled new dates for the resumption of Academic Activities as follows:

1. Sat 12/7/2014 — Arrival of all 2012/2013 ND II, HND II. 2013/2014 ND I. HND I and remedial students (Pre-ND).

2. Mon 14/7/2014 — Commencement of registration for new Students.

3. Sat 19/7/2014 — Arrival of all returning 2013/2014 ND II and HND II students i e those who have finished ND I and HNDI.

4. Mon 21/7/2014 — Project defence for 2012/2013 HND II Students.

5 Wed 23/7/2014 — Commencement of lectures for all students.

6. Fri. 29/7/2014 — End of registration for all students.

All students are to note these scheduled dates for their compliance, please.

This information shows that Idah Poly is no longer participating in the ongoing industrial action by the polytechnic lectures.

Fed Poly Oko Pulls Out Of ASUP Strike

Hurray Students Of Federal polytechnic, Oko has pulled out of the ongoing Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) strike to enable their students write the second semester examinations and cover the academic calendar of the institution.

This announcement was made yesterday evening after the emergency meeting of the Academic Board of Federal Polytechnic Oko who reiterated their support of the agitation of the union but has to put the fate of students into consideration as they have wasted a lot of time at home.

Students of Oko Poly are to note that the school management will announce the resumption date and modalities for the examination which will commence immediately.

This news is coming after the meeting between the ASUP national body and the joint national assembly committee on education ended in stalemate as the federal government’s delegation failed to attend the meeting for negotiations.

Good news for Oko Poly students. Good luck and safe journey as you go back to school to resume your academic activities.

FG's Delegation Absent From NASS Meeting Again (ASUP Strike Update)

The hopes of the polytechnic and college of education students that the ongoing industrial action by their lecturers will be called-off today has been thrown to the winds as the federal government delegation which comprises of the Minister of Education, Minister of Labour and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation were absent from the meeting called by the joint committee of the national assembly on education.

This meeting was scheduled by the NASS for negotiations between the federal government and the lecturers in order to find a lasting solution to the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) and College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) strikes.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Education, Uche Chukwumerije, expressed disappointment at the Federal Government over their response and unwillingness to negotiate with the leadership of the union while he urged the lecturers to be steadfast in their struggle to see that the education sector in the country doesn’t suffer again.

We gathered that the leadership of ASUP had narrowed down their demands from 10 to 2 and were willing to call off the strike had it been the Government representatives were at the meeting.

More details to follow later…

Fed Poly Oko Rector Wants ASUP Strike Called- Off Today

The ongoing industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has been described as damaging to the academic calendar of polytechnics by the Rector of Federal Polytechnic, Oko.

The Rector, Professor Godwin Onu, said that the prolonged strike has giving rise to two sets of first year students in the institution who have gained admission and are unsure of when they will resume studies.

He urged the union to call off the strike that has lasted for 11 months in the interest of the students who ought to have graduated but still remained at home, while those who have completed all the processes for admission, were yet to begin lectures.

It will be recalled that the ASUP executives has scheduled a meeting today with the joint committee of the National Assembly as the representatives of the federal government, ministries of education, finance and labour are also expected to be present.

This meeting is expected to put an end to the protracted strike as agreements are expected to be signed.

ASUP Ends NEC Meeting Without Suspending Strike

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has concluded the 3-day National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the union which was held at Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) without finding a solution to the ongoing industrial action embarked upon by the polytechnic lecturers.

The ASUP president, Mr Chibuzor Asumogha, at the end of 77th national executive council (NEC) meeting said that a meeting of the committee and some education stakeholders scheduled for June 24 did not hold because no government official came so the union resolved to continue its nine months old strike pending the outcome of its meeting with the senate committee on education on Tuesday, July 1st.

“That meeting was supposed to be held, resolution reached and agreement signed.

It was against this backdrop that we fixed the NEC meeting so that, if we have the resolutions, we will come here and suspend the strike.

“This is the position of the NEC; we are meeting again next Tuesday,” he said.

Asomugha however berated the federal government for frustrating all the efforts made by the union in suspending the strike by breaching all the agreements they had.

He appealed to parents and students to continue to be patient and support the union to achieve it goals.

It will be worth noting that the government has met some of the ASUP demands, including the of governing councils and setting up of the NEEDS assessment committees but the union is demanding that all their demands would be met before calling-off the strike.

We keep our fingers crossed and await the Tuesday’s meeting, hoping for a positive news for our polytechnic students who are not having it easy sitting at home for over one academic session now.