The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has suspended its planned indefinite strike for one month, following a positive response from the Federal Government regarding the contentious Scheme of Service for Polytechnic workers.
The union had previously issued a strike notice to protest against several provisions in the new Scheme of Service released by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).
ASUP contended that these provisions would fundamentally alter the tertiary education status of Polytechnics in Nigeria, deepen discrimination against Higher National Diploma (HND) holders, distort employee relativity within the Polytechnic system, and unnecessarily expand institutional overheads.
ASUP Zone A Coordinator, Comrade Abdulaziz Ibrahim Badaru, told newsmen in Dutse that the decision to suspend the strike was made during the union’s 110th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.
He said the decision followed a tripartite meeting with the NBTE and the Federal Ministry of Education on July 19.
He said it was agreed during the meeting that the implementation of the flawed document be suspended, and a review process initiated in line with the union’s demands.
“The review process is to be completed within one month from the day of the meeting. Subsequently, the NBTE issued a circular immediately suspending the contentious document,” stated Badaru.
In light of this development, ASUP’s NEC resolved to suspend the planned industrial action for one month, recognising that their demands had been substantially met.
Badaru expressed gratitude to union members for their steadfastness and to various stakeholders for their interventions and inputs in resolving the issue.
He also acknowledged the productive intervention of the Honourable Minister of Education and the receptive disposition of the Executive Secretary of the NBTE.
Furthermore, Badaru also called on the Federal Government to establish a National Polytechnics Commission, similar to those for universities and colleges of education, arguing that the NBTE lacks the capacity to regulate the affairs of Polytechnics in the country.
Badaru also acknowledged the progress made by Niger State in advancing technological education but urged immediate implementation of a 25%/35% salary increment for Polytechnic workers and the domestication of the Polytechnic Act 2019, as amended.
