ASUU strike’ll end next week – Minister

Posted by admin Latest Politics Thursday, January 19th, 2012

The Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufa’i, is confident that the dispute between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities will end next week.

Rufa’i said this during a meeting with Vice-Chancellors of Federal Universities in Abuja on Thursday.

According to her, ASUU met with government officials, including President Goodluck Jonathan, with a view to ending the impasse.

The minister noted that most of ASUU’s demands had been met, adding that another meeting had been scheduled for Monday.

She said, “We will meet again with ASUU on Monday and we expect that after the meeting ASUU will call off the strike.”

Rufa’i’s pronouncement confirmed an exclusive report in the THE PUNCH on Thursday that the Federal Government and ASUU were working towards ending the dispute within two weeks.

The minister asked the vice-chancellors to cut their overhead costs in line with government’s austerity measures.

She said, “In this era of austerity it is instructive that universities curtail rising costs associated with overheads.

“The directive by the government that all Ministries, Departments and Agencies be financially prudent in the use of their limited resources must be taken seriously by the university sub-sector.”

Rufa’i also urged the vice-chancellors to set up efficient user-friendly units to handle requests for transcripts by graduates, parents and other institutions to reduce the difficulties faced by those seeking admission.

She also frowned upon the proliferation of doctorate degrees in Nigerian universities, demanding a review of the eligibility and credibility of recipients.

The minister added that governing councils of universities would soon be reconstituted.

On the status of the nine new federal universities, Rufa’i said it would be impossible for all of them to take off at the same time because some had made more progress than others.

On his part, the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nysom Wike, urged the vice-chancellors to support the government’s transformation agenda by ensuring that they get approvals from the necessary quarters before commencement.

-Punchwp_posts