COMMUNIQUE OF THE 75TH NATIONAL
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (NEC) OF THE ACADEMIC STAFF UNION OF POLYTECHNICS (ASUP)
HELD AT FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC, BIDA NIGER STATE, FROM 24 – 28TH SEPTEMBER,
2013 PREAMBLE:
The National Executive Council
(NEC) of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) met for her 75th
NEC Meeting at the Federal Polytechnic Bida, Niger State where the
following national issues were observed, discussed, and resolutions on
them were reached:
OBSRVATIONS:
1. The frustrating inertia of
the Federal Government to convincingly fulfill any of the promises and
agreements reached with the union before the suspension of the strike on
17th July, 2013 on CONTISS 15 Migration for Lower cadres, Needs Assessment
of Polytechnics, release of Whitepaper of visitation to Federal
polytechnics, discrimination between polytechnics and university graduates
in job placement and career progression and the constitution of Governing
Councils to Federal polytechnics earlier omitted.
2. The anti-labour stance of the
National Assembly as exemplified by the recently proposed removal of
minimum wage from the exclusive legislative list of the constitution to
the concurrent list; as well as the proposed legislation against
declaration of Industrial Strike by unions in the tertiary sector;
3. The growing tension in the
nation’s polity as a result of the volatile comments and activities of
politicians and interest groups;
4. Government’s abuse of the
laws establishing TETfund;
5. The culpable lack of
commitment of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to meeting
the needs and demands of polytechnic education in Nigeria.
6. Appointment of
rectors/provosts from within polytechnic/monotechnics sector
RESOLUTIONS: In the
light of the above, NEC resolves:
1. That Government should
without delay address all the outstanding standing issues including the
NEEDS Assessments of the polytechnics and the corresponding funding,
constitution of the Governing Councils of the remaining Federal
polytechnics, CONITSS 15 Migration of the Lower Cadres, the removal of
disparity between HND and Degree certificates, establishment of the
National Polytechnics Commission (NPC), release of the Whitepaper of the
visitation panels to polytechnics;
2. That the National Assembly
should rescind from its current anti-labour posture in the interest of
industrial peace and our desperate move to rescue the endangered soul of
the tertiary institutions in the country;
3. That the National Assembly
should expedite action on the review of the Polytechnic Act;
4. That a vote of no confidence
be passed the NBTE and further calls for the immediate establishment of a
National Polytechnics Commission (NPC) to proactively cater for the needs
of the sector;
5. That the Nigerian political
class and other interest groups should exercise restraint on their
utterances and activities in the interest of peace, unity and security of
the nation;
6. That the Federal Government
should desist from abuse of TETfund laws;
7. That stakeholders in the
education sector such as parents, students, religious leaders, the press,
members of States and National assemblies to rise to their
responsibilities of rescuing the (polytechnic) education sector from
imminent collapse;
8. That the position of ASUP on
the need to appoint the rectors from within the polytechnic system remains
irreversible;
9. That in view of the continued
insincerity of Government to honour the agreement reached with ASUP, NEC
resolves that the union will resume the suspended strike with effect from
4th October, 2013. NEC sincerely appreciates the good people of Nigeria
and all other stakeholders in the education sector for their sustained
support in its struggles to save the polytechnic education from total
collapse in Nigeria.
Signed
Chirman Clement Selchum
This is serious!!!!!!!!!!
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