Dr. Dipo Fashina
By SaharaReporters, New York
As the labour action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) over the unfulfilled obligations of the government attracts growing sympathy and solidarity of other pro-labour groups, the Joint Action Front (JAF) has begun to mobilize for a mass protest in support of ASUU.
In a statement informing media and other civil society groups of an impending public demonstration, JAF Secretary, Abiodun Aremu, said that preparations were in top gear nationwide. On Sunday, JAF held an Expanded General Meeting with stakeholders in the education sector, comprising students, civil society groups, zonal and state representatives of ASUU, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), and the College of Education Staff Union (COESU).
The meeting agreed on a template for National Mobilisation, the statement said, urging all stakeholders in the Education Sector – parents, students, ASUU, ASUP, SSANIP, COESU, National Union of Teachers (NUT), Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), professionals and workers unions (in the NLC and TUC) and the oppressed masses of Nigeria to hold consultative and mobilization meetings and rallies, in view of the PROGRAMME OF ACTIONS to be made public in the next one week.
Aremu said the scope of the impending protest would be beyond ASUU and that JAF would muster the oppressed masses and deprived citizens across various sectors for the showdown with an irresponsive government.
“Thus JAF appeals to Nigerians to see the current struggle by ASUU and the inconclusive struggles of other unions in the Education Sector as the struggle of the Nigerian oppressed masses, whose millions of children would be denied education and a future, should the current trend of poor funding and neglect for Public Education by Government at all levels, be allowed to continue,” the statement said.
For the universities, the demands which resulted in the ASUU strike include failures by federal and state governments) to fund facilities and infrastructure in the universities for the revitalization of the facilities and academic programmes; non-implementation of the NEEDS Assessment Report as agreed in the MOU of January 24, 2012 and non-payment of legitimately earned allowances of the academic staffs.
Although ASUP suspended its three months-long strike for only four weeks, its demands are yet to be met and may likely resume labour action.
“Thus JAF appeals to Nigerians to see the current struggle by ASUU and the inconclusive struggles of other unions in the Education Sector as the struggle of the Nigerian oppressed masses, whose millions of children would be denied education and a future, should the current trend of poor funding and neglect for Public Education by Government at all levels, be allowed to continue,” the statement said.
For the universities, the demands which resulted in the ASUU strike include failures by federal and state governments) to fund facilities and infrastructure in the universities for the revitalization of the facilities and academic programmes; non-implementation of the NEEDS Assessment Report as agreed in the MOU of January 24, 2012 and non-payment of legitimately earned allowances of the academic staffs.
Although ASUP suspended its three months-long strike for only four weeks, its demands are yet to be met and may likely resume labour action.
ASUP is contending with the derogatory recognition of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) as the regulatory body of Polytechnic education, as against the creation of a National Polytechnic Commission which the government agreed to. It is also also protesting the failure of the federal government to release the White Paper on the Visitations to Polytechnics.
JAF said last Sunday’s broad-based meeting appreciated the position of JAF that its intervention in the crises in the education sector is part of its consistent campaign for system change and called on Nigerians home and abroad to “DARE TO STRUGGLE in order to DARE TO WIN.”
The Full Statement:
JAF Intensifies Mobilisation for NATIONAL PROTEST to Save Public Education
Joint Action Front (JAF)
10, Afolabi Lesi Street, Anthony-Ilupeju, Lagos
08035068524, 08033347962, E-mail: jnt_action@yahoo.co.uk,www.jointactionfront.blogspot.com
Tuesday, July 23rd 2013
PRESS STATEMENT
JAF Intensifies Mobilisation for NATIONAL PROTEST to Save Public Education & Solidarity with ASUU!
1. The Joint Action Front (JAF) held an Expanded General Meeting yesterday, Sunday, July 22nd with stakeholders in the education sector, comprising students, civil society groups, zonal and state branches’ representatives of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), and College of Education Staff Union (COESU).
2. The meeting was in furtherance of the resolution by a previous meeting of JAF (held July 14th) for a nationwide mobilization for NATIONAL PROTEST to save PUBLIC EDUCATION and to rally Nigerians to join forces with ASUU and other unions in the academic sector from primary to tertiary levels to compel the Federal and State Governments to implement Collect Agreements on: Adequate Funding of Education, Academic Freedom, and Autonomy in the administration and running of the tertiary institutions in line with the demands of the stakeholders in the sector.
3. The meeting agreed on a TEMPLATE for National Mobilisation and urged all stakeholders in the Education Sector – parents, students, ASUU, ASUP, SSANIP, COESU, National Union of Teachers (NUT), Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), professionals and workers unions (in the NLC and TUC) and the oppressed masses of Nigeria to hold consultative and mobilization meetings and rallies, in view of the PROGRAMME OF ACTIONS to be made public in the next one week.
4. The meeting resolved that a NATIONAL PROTEST to save PUBLIC EDUCATION has become inevitable. Thus JAF appeals to Nigerians to see the current struggle by ASUU and the inconclusive struggles of other unions in the Education Sector as the struggle of the Nigerian oppressed masses, whose millions of children would be denied education and a future, should the current trend of poor funding and neglect for Public Education by Government at all levels, be allowed to continue.
5. JAF wishes to remind Nigerians of the demands by the academic unions:
For ASUU, they are:
· “Failures by Government (Federal and State) to fund facilities and infrastructure in the universities, for the revitalization of the facilities and academic programmes;
· Failure to IMPELEMENT the NEEDS Assessment Report as agreed in the Memorandum of Understanding, January 24th 2012 between on the standardization and effective running of the universities; and
· Failure to pay legitimately earned allowances of the academic staffs”.
As for ASUP and SSANIP, their basic demands are:
· “The continuing derogatory recognition of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) as the regulatory body of Polytechnic education as against the agreed creation of a National Polytechnic Commission,
· Non-Commencement of the renegotiation of the FGN/ASUP Agreements as contained in the signed Agreement,
· Non-Reconstitution of the Governing Councils of the Federal Polytechnics,
· Failure by the Federal Government to release the White Paper on the Visitations to the Polytechnics, and
· Non-IMPLEMENTATION of the Agreement on migration of Polytechnic Staffs at lower grades on CONTISS 15 Salary scale, and Failure by most State Governments to IMPLEMENT the approved Salary package (CONPCASS).
6. The meeting appreciated the position of JAF that its intervention in the crises in the education sector is part of its consistent campaign for SYSTEM CHANGE and called on Nigerians home and abroad to DARE TO STRUGGLE in order to DARE TO WIN.
FORWARD EVER, BACKWARD NEVER
DR. DIPO FASHINA COMRADE ABIODUN AREMU
JAF Chairperson JAF Secretary
JAF Intensifies Mobilisation for NATIONAL PROTEST to Save Public Education
Joint Action Front (JAF)
10, Afolabi Lesi Street, Anthony-Ilupeju, Lagos
08035068524, 08033347962, E-mail: jnt_action@yahoo.co.uk,www.jointactionfront.blogspot.com
Tuesday, July 23rd 2013
PRESS STATEMENT
JAF Intensifies Mobilisation for NATIONAL PROTEST to Save Public Education & Solidarity with ASUU!
1. The Joint Action Front (JAF) held an Expanded General Meeting yesterday, Sunday, July 22nd with stakeholders in the education sector, comprising students, civil society groups, zonal and state branches’ representatives of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), and College of Education Staff Union (COESU).
2. The meeting was in furtherance of the resolution by a previous meeting of JAF (held July 14th) for a nationwide mobilization for NATIONAL PROTEST to save PUBLIC EDUCATION and to rally Nigerians to join forces with ASUU and other unions in the academic sector from primary to tertiary levels to compel the Federal and State Governments to implement Collect Agreements on: Adequate Funding of Education, Academic Freedom, and Autonomy in the administration and running of the tertiary institutions in line with the demands of the stakeholders in the sector.
3. The meeting agreed on a TEMPLATE for National Mobilisation and urged all stakeholders in the Education Sector – parents, students, ASUU, ASUP, SSANIP, COESU, National Union of Teachers (NUT), Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), professionals and workers unions (in the NLC and TUC) and the oppressed masses of Nigeria to hold consultative and mobilization meetings and rallies, in view of the PROGRAMME OF ACTIONS to be made public in the next one week.
4. The meeting resolved that a NATIONAL PROTEST to save PUBLIC EDUCATION has become inevitable. Thus JAF appeals to Nigerians to see the current struggle by ASUU and the inconclusive struggles of other unions in the Education Sector as the struggle of the Nigerian oppressed masses, whose millions of children would be denied education and a future, should the current trend of poor funding and neglect for Public Education by Government at all levels, be allowed to continue.
5. JAF wishes to remind Nigerians of the demands by the academic unions:
For ASUU, they are:
· “Failures by Government (Federal and State) to fund facilities and infrastructure in the universities, for the revitalization of the facilities and academic programmes;
· Failure to IMPELEMENT the NEEDS Assessment Report as agreed in the Memorandum of Understanding, January 24th 2012 between on the standardization and effective running of the universities; and
· Failure to pay legitimately earned allowances of the academic staffs”.
As for ASUP and SSANIP, their basic demands are:
· “The continuing derogatory recognition of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) as the regulatory body of Polytechnic education as against the agreed creation of a National Polytechnic Commission,
· Non-Commencement of the renegotiation of the FGN/ASUP Agreements as contained in the signed Agreement,
· Non-Reconstitution of the Governing Councils of the Federal Polytechnics,
· Failure by the Federal Government to release the White Paper on the Visitations to the Polytechnics, and
· Non-IMPLEMENTATION of the Agreement on migration of Polytechnic Staffs at lower grades on CONTISS 15 Salary scale, and Failure by most State Governments to IMPLEMENT the approved Salary package (CONPCASS).
6. The meeting appreciated the position of JAF that its intervention in the crises in the education sector is part of its consistent campaign for SYSTEM CHANGE and called on Nigerians home and abroad to DARE TO STRUGGLE in order to DARE TO WIN.
FORWARD EVER, BACKWARD NEVER
DR. DIPO FASHINA COMRADE ABIODUN AREMU
JAF Chairperson JAF Secretary
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