The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has given the Federal Government a 21-day ultimatum to address its demands or face a total withdrawal of services in public polytechnics and monotechnics nationwide.
ASUP President, Mr. Shammah S. Kpanja, issued the warning on Thursday in Abuja after the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, lamenting that polytechnic education had suffered years of neglect due to poor government attention.
He said the delay in approving a dual mandate structure for polytechnics to eliminate discrimination against Higher National Diploma (HND) holders, as well as the slow passage of the Bill allowing polytechnics to award Bachelor of Technology degrees, were threatening the survival of the sector.
Kpanja listed 14 unresolved issues, including the reconstitution of the committee to renegotiate the ASUP/FGN 2010 Agreement, the refusal of states to domesticate relevant portions of the Federal Polytechnics Act, and the Federal Ministry of Education’s failure to reconvene the Special Rapid Response Committee to address industrial relations challenges.
Other grievances include the non-release of a circular by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) on the Peculiar Academic Allowance, removal of the allowance from the budgeting template, non-release of arrears for the 25/35 percent salary review, and failure of some states to implement the New National Minimum Wage in state-owned polytechnics.
The union also accused the government of delaying the release of the second round of the approved NEEDS Assessment intervention, and faulted the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) for allegedly outsourcing quality assurance activities in polytechnics.
“In view of the non-committal disposition of the Federal Ministry of Education to genuine dialogue and lack of will to implement previous resolutions, our NEC has resolved to issue a 21-day ultimatum to the government. Failure to act may lead to a declaration of trade dispute and withdrawal of services,” Kpanja warned.
The ASUP president urged the government to treat the matter urgently to prevent further disruption in the academic calendar of polytechnics across the country.
