Federal Government Addresses ASUU Concerns Amid Strike Threat

The acting Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC) has assured that the Federal Govt is actively addressing the concerns raised by ASUU regarding the reconstitution of the Governing Council I’m Universities.

Chris Maiyaki, the acting Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), assured on Wednesday that the Federal Government is actively addressing the concerns raised by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) regarding the reconstitution of governing councils in universities.

During a media parley with education reporters in Abuja, Maiyaki disclosed that the Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman, has initiated steps to reconstitute the governing councils, including the formation of a panel to oversee the process.

Responding to ASUU’s two-week ultimatum, Maiyaki acknowledged the significance of appointing qualified individuals to the councils, emphasizing the government’s commitment to ensuring competent and capable leadership in universities to uphold President Buhari’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Furthermore, Maiyaki addressed the need for expanding access to higher education in Nigeria, highlighting the insufficiency of the current 272 universities to accommodate the increasing demand for quality education. He emphasized the importance of establishing more universities to meet the growing needs of Nigerian youths.

On initiatives to enhance the nation’s university system, Maiyaki outlined strategic priorities such as curriculum development, quality assurance, research and innovation, infrastructure development, and internationalization.

Notable efforts include curriculum reviews to align with contemporary global standards and the development of guidelines for e-learning and open and distance education.

The NUC’s commitment to improving the quality, equity, and access to university education in Nigeria is evident through the implementation of various guidelines and initiatives aimed at enhancing the nation’s educational landscape.

Through collaboration and strategic planning, the government and relevant stakeholders are working towards a robust and inclusive higher education system that meets the needs of all Nigerians.

“To reconstitute the councils of 61 universities is not a small feat. The government is working to ensure that people who are qualified and with the right pedigree are put in those councils so that they can deliver on Mr. President’s Renewed Hope Agenda. We know ASUU is a body of academics and are concerned about the welfare of their members and the activities in universities but we want them to be patient with the government during this period.”

Speaking on the number of universities in the country, the NUC boss said the commission was committed to expanding access to higher education.

“And for this, the current 272 universities in the NUS are not sufficient to accommodate the ever-growing demand for university education by Nigerian youths. “Each year, Nigerian universities receive close to two million applications, only a small fraction of them are admitted. That is why there is a need for Nigeria to continue to increase access by establishing more universities to meet the demand for quality education in the country,” Maiyaki said

“To encourage partnerships with industry and promote blended learning, the NUC carried out an extensive review of university curricula from the Benchmark Minimum Academic Standard to the Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards, which reflect the aspirations of Nigeria to attain a knowledge economy, driven by the 4 Industrial Revolution, known as 4IR, and the 21-century skills.

“The CCMAS features an expansion of academic disciplines from 14 to 17. The implementation of the new curricula came into effect in September 2023 for the 2023/2024 academic session.

“The implementation framework of the CCMAS makes provision for the training of staff in student-centred tuition-delivery capabilities and development of textual materials to enhance teaching and learning.

“Open and Distance Learning Guidelines In a bid to assure quality in the regulation of the NUS, the Commission developed guidelines to provide a framework for the orderly adoption, integration and mainstreaming of e-learning into the conventional face-to-face modes of teaching and learning in Nigerian Universities, among other objectives.

“This initiative was needed to assure quality in the delivery of university education, via the Open and Distance Education mode, and keep pace with contemporary global best practices. The Commission produced the following guidelines, as part of the efforts to broaden open and distance learning in the Nigerian University System“ he said.

“The Guidelines for Transnational Education allows foreign Universities to collaborate in creating high-quality institutions in Nigeria through six competitive models This effort aims at making Nigerian graduates competitive, globally, so as to reduce the need for the nation’s young men and women going abroad to seek university education.

“The launch of these ODL guidelines marks a significant milestone in the history of the NUC towards its dedication to greater quality, equity and access to university education in Nigeria. It all follows from the recommendations for the establishment and expansion of universities, deeper IT penetration, and enhanced competencies in online delivery,” he added.

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SOURCES: ALLSCHOOL, PUNCH