President Jonathan said the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had politicised the teachers’ strike.

Jonathan, a former university teacher, said: “We’ve gone very far with the ASUU strike. We believe ASUU has some kind of politics that crawled into the strike, but we are still discussing with them. If things were normal, by now they would have called off the strike,” he said.

He added: “We are doing a lot in terms of improving infrastructure and every other thing in our universities. In fact, this is the very first time a government has set up a team to go around all our universities to examine the infrastructure and a report has been written, which was presented to the National Economic Council and all the governors, and we are working.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/2015-jonathan-justifies-second-term-ambition/

Blame it on Buhari and Tinubu's APC.

berem: Blame it on Buhari and Tinubu's APC.

Guilty conscience at work! You'r guilty as suggested by your conscience. The president of ASUU is a northerner. So what do you expect? It is part of making the country ungovernable.

N130billion is not enough for ASUU to return to work? I wish the president could sack all those mostly lazy and plaguarizing lecturers. The few good eggs amongst will later be taken under new performance based terms.

Why has GEJ refused to pay the salaries of non teaching staff for the past 2 months despite the fact that they are working? Has politics also affected their salaries? It looks like FG wants to destroy the public university system.

I firmly disagree with the President on this . . . .ASUU are fighting for what they feel it's their right. . .The opposition or third party elements has nothing to do with this . . . .

I will only believe dis after u must av honored all d agreement d govt had wit dem in 2009.or av u met all d demand sir?

Sincere 9gerian:
Guilty conscience at work! You'r guilty as suggested by your conscience. The president of ASUU is a northerner. So what do you expect? It is part of making the country ungovernable.

N130billion is not enough for ASUU to return to work? I wish the president could sack all those mostly lazy and plaguarizing lecturers. The few good eggs amongst will later be taken under new performance based terms.

stop lamenting my friend! If your president does what is right,ASUU wll call off their strike.

berem: stop lamenting my friend! If your president does what is right,ASUU wll call off their strike.

what is rite in wat term? Is it not money that they want let them release more money or the pot belly teachers and all will be well

jmaine: I firmly disagree with the President on this . . . .ASUU are fighting for what they feel it's their right. . .The opposition or third party elements has nothing to do with this . . . .

We all have our rights too and no right is absolute. Maybe we should all down tool until everything is PERFECT.

The rot that ASUU wants the govt to fix, didn't start this year or even 5 years ago. The rot happened over a decade or more. How then can such rot be fixed in one or two or even 3 budget cycles? Lets be realistic. There are other very pressing needs too.

I would even prefer a situation where all those universities will be granted full autonomy and independence to generate their own revenue and determine their own destiny while the billions of public funds currently being spent on higher education will be diverted to basic, technical education and research at all levels. The half-baked graduates that comes from the universities are not as a result of poor funding of the universities. It is as result of inadequacies in the BASIC education system. Those billions should be diverted to fix the BASIC education system. While basic education is mandatory, higher education is not. Those who want higher education should be able to PAY for it, through loans or whatever.

Also all over the world there's no similar body like ASUU that has the power to close ALL the universities for whatever reason. Why is that so? ASUU doesn't exist any where in the world, except Nigeria, because it doesn't make sense. Why would you shut the universities and at the same time claim to be fighting for better education? It could only be likened to one cutting from his nose to try to fix his ear. It is one of the SENSELESS things and absurdities that ONLY happens in Nigeria.

ayodeji752: I will only believe dis after u must av honored all d agreement d govt had wit dem in 2009.or av u met all d demand sir?

God ll help the Nigerian students in this situation cos they re the ones in pain and agony while those men speak all the grammars they learnt with nigerians' free education they got in the time.come to think of it that many of they were paid to go to school abroad in other to come back and make this nation better. they want this generation to beg to attend school. God ll judge

Sincere 9gerian:
We all have our rights too and no right is absolute. Maybe we should all down tool until everything is PERFECT.

The rot that ASUU wants the govt to fix, didn't start this year or even 5 years ago. The rot happened over a decade or more. How then can such rot be fixed in one or two or even 3 budget cycles? Lets be realistic. There are other very pressing needs too.

I would even prefer a situation where all those universities will be granted full autonomy and independence to generate their own revenue and determine their own destiny while the billions of public funds currently being spent on higher education will be diverted to basic, technical education and research at all levels. The half-baked graduates that comes from the universities are not as a result of poor funding of the universities. It is as result of inadequacies in the BASIC education system. Those billions should be diverted to fix the BASIC education system. While basic education is mandatory, higher education is not. Those who want higher education should be able to PAY for it, through loans or whatever.

Also all over the world there's no similar body like ASUU that has the power to close ALL the universities for whatever reason. Why is that so? ASUU doesn't exist any where in the world, except Nigeria, because it doesn't make sense. Why would you shut the universities and at the same time claim to be fighting for better education? It could only be likened to one cutting from his nose to try to fix his ear. It is one of the SENSELESS things and absurdities that ONLY happens in Nigeria.

In as much as i agree with your points . . .Your submission doesn't give or support the notion of ASUU playing politics.

They are just a bunch of fellas who feel they desire better than what they are getting. And feel they have been victims of deceit by the Govt of the day.

Sincere 9gerian . . . .How will you feel been paid an annual stipends of N720:00 which amount to just N60:00/month as HOD allowance .

There are a lot of sad things ASUU is trying to correct and i support them . . .

Double Post . . . .

These labour unions always claim there are no alternatives to strike. That is a LIE from the pit of hell. There are alternatives, especially now that we'r in a democracy. What happened to street protests? What happened to taking protests at the national assembly? What happened to lobbying, especially since many lecturers or former lecturers are now in govt at one level or the other? What happened to hunger strike, even if for just publicity stunts?

For instance, the workers of the National Identity Management who were sacked few months ago organised some protests at the NASS making some demands. The NASS has since waded into the matter and taken action on that matter. It was debated on the floor of the senate.

The truth is that there are alternatives to strike but our lecturers, with all due respect, are simply LAZY and looking for easy way out, which they think is strike. With strikes, people dont work but they get paid. But isn't it IMMORAL to earn salaries without WORK? These lecturers have no shame.

jmaine:

In as much as i agree with your points . . .Your submission doesn't give or support the notion of ASUU playing politics.

They are just a bunch of fellas who feel they desire better than what they are getting. And feel they have been victims of deceit by the Govt of the day.

Sincere 9gerian . . . .How will you feel been paid an annual stipends of N720:00 which amount to just N60:00/month as HOD allowance .

There are a lot of sad things ASUU is trying to correct and i support them . . .

The welfare of the lecturers should be taken care of but I insist that their demands should be realistic. Dont forget, these lecturers got 52% salary increment in 2010. They also benefited from marginal salary increase that happened across board with the passage of new minimum wage bill in 2011. Haba, na only lecturers sabi eat salaries and allowances?

berem: stop lamenting my friend! If your president does what is right,ASUU wll call off their strike.

After this one is called off, when will the next one begin.

jmaine:

In as much as i agree with your points . . .Your submission doesn't give or support the notion of ASUU playing politics.

They are just a bunch of fellas who feel they desire better than what they are getting. And feel they have been victims of deceit by the Govt of the day.

Sincere 9gerian . . . .How will you feel been paid an annual stipends of N720:00 which amount to just N60:00/month as HOD allowance .

There are a lot of sad things ASUU is trying to correct and i support them . . .

So you know HODs earning N720,000 per year in Nigeria. What is the pay grade of an entry level lecturer Please help me out.

Sincere 9gerian:
The welfare of the lecturers should be taken care of but I insist that their demands should be realistic. Dont forget, these lecturers got 52% salary increment in 2010. They also benefited from marginal salary increase that happened across board with the passage of new minimum wage bill in 2011. Haba, na only lecturers sabi eat salaries and allowances?

Let us desist from all forms of childishness. Men accepts responsibility, while cowards always sees others as the reason for their problems.
However, Jonah should face the issue of non adherence to agreement. Let it not be like denying pact with others for single term or not.
I work with an oil servicing coy. When you have an agreement verbally, it is as good as being called "no agreement". But when penciled down and signed by parties involved, only irresponsibility will make one of the parties to renege when the other party is still carrying out its part of the deal.
Let fg solve issues it had with its labour instead of showing this gross irresponsibility.

I 8 it wen i hear that ASUU strike has been polticised, it pissed me off. This show that FG does not care about Nigeria student. If GEJ is still an active lecturer , then i belive he wouldnt have said the strike had been politicised rather he would be 1 leading the ASUU strike in UNIPORT

It is hard for GEJ to sort the lecturers but if it is to loot or travel with 600 delegates he will sort himself and his co-thieves....shame!

jmaine:

In as much as i agree with your points . . .Your submission doesn't give or support the notion of ASUU playing politics.

They are just a bunch of fellas who feel they desire better than what they are getting. And feel they have been victims of deceit by the Govt of the day.

Sincere 9gerian . . . .How will you feel been paid an annual stipends of N720:00 which amount to just N60:00/month as HOD allowance .

There are a lot of sad things ASUU is trying to correct and i support them . . .

I totally agree with you for the first time!

Seconded.

atlwireles:

So you know HODs earning N720,000 per year in Nigeria. What is the pay grade of an entry level lecturer Please help me out.

Bros i said N720 naira only annually at N60/month.

Can you just imagine that . . . .

strike remains a punishment on the students only and not on d govt at all. so ASUU should better get another means of sending their message across

Buh @sincere9jerian my man is dia anything GEJ does that is wrong Buh @sincere9jerian my man is dia anything GEJ does that is wrong

Sincere 9gerian:
The welfare of the lecturers should be taken care of but I insist that their demands should be realistic. Dont forget, these lecturers got 52% salary increment in 2010. They also benefited from marginal salary increase that happened across board with the passage of new minimum wage bill in 2011. Haba, na only lecturers sabi eat salaries and allowances?

My man, the salary/allowances of an average lecturer is not commisurate with the extreme stress they pass through.

The so called increase high pass wetin common councelor dey earn per month ? . . . . .

Primarily because Sincere 9gerian, like our President, is determined to polarise matters further, he has elected to reduce overarching concerns which inform the current strike to the whims of politicking. Against this background, a timely reminder of what the contentious issues are is therefore in order:

ASUU identified the following key areas that were yet to be implemented:

i. Funding requirements for Revitalization of the Nigerian Universities

ii. Federal Government Assistance to State Universities

iii. Establishment of NUPEMCO

iv. Progressive increase in Annual Budgetary Allocation to Education to 26% between 2009 and 2020

v. Earned Allowances

vi. Amendment of the Pension/Retirement Age of Academics on the Professorial cadre from 65 to 70 years

vii. Reinstatement of prematurely dissolved Governing Councils

viii. Transfer of Federal Government Landed Property to Universities

ix. Setting up of Research Development Council and Provision of Research Equipment to laboratories and classrooms in our universities.

At a time when none of our Nation's universities ranks among the World's top 3000, when we have the highest number of out-of-school children, I dare anyone to hold hand on heart and point to key areas of focus which can be sacrificed from the list presented above.
As an individual fully committed to laundering the image of a government which refuses to tackle profligacy or even prune its high recurring expenditure, it is no surprise that Sincere 9gerian argues, as he has done, that our interests are best served by investing mainly in BASIC education - a low hanging fruit. Notice there is no talk about much needed RESEARCH, which would help tackle some of the intractable problems which continue to plague our nation.

I was astounded to learn Ghana spends 31% per cent of its budget on education, Uganda 27%, while Nigeria spends a miserly 8.5% even as it supports the world's most expensive legislature.

The truth is; hackneyed arguments about precisely when the rot started would not wash any longer, because there is a growing consciousness which recognises that good government is about righting the wrongs of the past.

Olaolufred:

Let us desist from all forms of childishness. Men accepts responsibility, while cowards always sees others as the reason for their problems.
However, Jonah should face the issue of non adherence to agreement. Let it not be like denying pact with others for single term or not.
I work with an oil servicing coy. When you have an agreement verbally, it is as good as being called "no agreement". But when penciled down and signed by parties involved, only irresponsibility will make one of the parties to renege when the other party is still carrying out its part of the deal.
Let fg solve issues it had with its labour instead of showing this gross irresponsibility.

That is the easiest thing to do- make demands. That is the only thing infants, neonates and toddlers know how to do. So its not a big deal that ASUU is making demands. However, such demands must be implementable and realistic.

Unfortunately, Yar Adua did not live long enough to implement the agreements he signed with ASUU. The new president said SOME part of the agreement is unimplementable. He has dont the bit he could do. When Yar Adua signed the agreement, how much did he put on the table? None that we heard of (if you know of any pls let us know). But this president, who didn't sign the agreement, has increased salaries of lecturers by 52%, increased retirement age, released N100billion for infrastructural upgrade in schools, another N30billion for lecturers allowances, etc.

jmaine:


My man, the salary/allowances of an average lecturer is not commisurate with the extreme stress they pass through.

The so called increase high pass wetin common councelor dey earn per month ? . . . . .

Any lecturer who wants to earn what councelors earn, should try his hands on politics. Abi no be so?

Anyway, I'm not against the lecturers earning N1billion every month. My position is that they must not shut the doors of the universities because they have grievances or want more pay. In the last 10 years, ASUU has closed the universities for about 30 months. That is about 20% of the days within the period. How does that make higher education better? The gains made after any strike is automatically wiped off by the TIME lost. If strikes was the solution to the problems in the education system, how come after over 2 decades of strikes, the story has remained the same? Why should there by an organisation like ASUU only in Nigeria? Is Nigeria the only country with universities?

Strikes may have been needed during military dictatorship. But we are now in a democracy with several options avialable for those with grievances.

Sincere 9gerian:
Any lecturer who wants to earn what councelors earn, should try his hands on politics. Abi no be so?

Anyway, I'm not against the lecturers earning N1billion every month. My position is that they must not shut the doors of the universities because they have grievances or want more pay. In the last 10 years, ASUU has closed the universities for about 30 months. That is about 20% of the days within the period. How does that make higher education better? The gains made after any strike is automatically wiped off by the TIME lost. If strikes was the solution to the problems in the education system, how come after over 2 decades of strikes, the story has remained the same? Why should there by an organisation like ASUU only in Nigeria? Is Nigeria the only country with universities?

Strikes may have been needed during military dictatorship. But we are now in a democracy with several options avialable for those with grievances.

Really? Meaning everyone should become a politician because he or she wanna become the highest paid in the country? If the lecturers become politicians, who will lecture our kids? Sometimes you should learn to put yourself in the situation of others. If you're been paid handsomely to spread lies on this forum, don't expect a lecturer to be paid peanuts for impacting knowledge on our children.

Space booked

eGuerrilla: Primarily because Sincere 9gerian, like our President, is determined to polarise matters further, he has elected to reduce overarching concerns which inform the current strike to the whims of politicking. Against this background, a timely reminder of what the contentious issues are is therefore in order:



At a time when none of our Nation's universities ranks among the World's top 3000, when we have the highest number of out-of-school children, I dare anyone to hold hand on heart and point to key areas of focus which can be sacrificed from the list presented above.
As an individual fully committed to laundering the image of a government which refuses to tackle profligacy or even prune its high recurring expenditure, it is no surprise that Sincere 9gerian argues, as he has done, that our interests are best served by investing mainly in BASIC education - a low hanging fruit. Notice there is no talk about much needed RESEARCH, which would help tackle some of the intractable problems which continue to plague our nation.

I was astounded to learn Ghana spends 31% per cent of its budget on education, Uganda 27%, while Nigeria spends a miserly 8.5% even as it supports the world's most expensive legislature.

The truth is; hackneyed arguments about precisely when the rot started would not wash any longer, because there is a new consciousness which recognises that good government is about righting the wrongs of the past.

Did you even read through many of those DEMANDS? Do some of them make sense to you? Why should ASUU be asking for transfer of FG landed properties to the universities (item viii)? How does that make the education system better? What about federal govt assistance to state owned universities (item ii)? Did the state govt consult the FG before establishing those state universities? Why should the FG clean up the poo of state govt? What do the state govt do with their statutory funds?

Anyway, many of those agreements have already been met by the FG.

Meanwhile, percentages do not tell the whole story. If Country A with total budget of N100 allocates 10% to education, that amounts to N10 for education in that country. But if country B with total budget of N1,000 allocates 5% to education, that amounts to N50 to education in that country. So which of country A or B devoted more funds into education?

Is Jona's Feeding Allowance "politicised"?
I hope the SINators monthly income is "Politicised"?
Of course, it must the Transport, Wardrobe, Furniture Allowances paid to the RepresentaTHIEVES that is "Politicised"?