The Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) has described the neglect of colleges of education sub-sector by the Federal and state governments as a dangerous trend in teacher- education in Nigeria
This was made by the President of COEASU, Nuhu Ogirima at a world press conference held on Thursday to formally declare a trade dispute with the Federal Government of Nigeria and some State Governments.
The president recalled that the union had placed before government, long before now, a wide range of challenges confronting the Colleges of Education (COEs) in Nigeria.
He regretted that the government has chosen to ignore the renewed attempt of the Union to call attention to the dire situation the COEs system has found itself.
“As a Union responsible for the yearnings and aspirations of the academics managing the education of the less privileged citizens, we consider it as complicity to remain quiet in the face of the wanton neglect that has characterized the disposition of the government to our plight.
“The persistent wanton neglect of COEs is evident in the non-response to the series of memo raised by the Union reminding FGN of her responsibilities. While some of the issues are administrative, which the regulatory agency, the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) and the Colleges’ Management are expected to handle, others border on critical needs of the COEs for survival as a teacher-education industry, as responsibilities of the government,” he said.
He regretted that the non implementation of CONTISS 15 for the lower cadres in Colleges of Education has lingered on for long
Speaking further, he lamented the policy of outsourced Services and its Implication on Colleges’ Security, saying “The Union’s consistent reminder to the government to do the needful to review the 2006 outsource policy to cater for the security needs of COEs is predicated on the implication on the Colleges.”
He added that the refusal of FGN to provide funds to adequately remunerate the outsourced security staff and others on sundry jobs, and the inability of the colleges to afford the high cost of sourcing and funding good security outfits have made COEs much more vulnerable to attack.
“For instance, recall that on 17th September, 2014, the Federal College of Education (FCE), Kano, was attacked by perceived Boko Haram elements. It is on record that the security men at the gate of the College fled at the sight of the armed men. Thus, invaders fired sporadic gunshots into one of the lecture theatres, as bomb blasts of the invaders reverberated. While scores of persons were severely injured, twenty (20), including three (3) bombers, died from that incident.
“Shortly after the FCE Kano episode, specifically on 12th November, 2014, FCE Kontagora lost one final-year male student from the bomb blast by a suicide bomber who infiltrated the College.
“The trauma experienced by many residents of the staff quarters at the time still resonates even years after the terrible experience. Many other Colleges of Education have had similar brushes with insecurity occasioned by the policy till date.
“Currently, the College of Education, Katsina-Ala, reel under kidnapping, which remains unattended, in spite of all representations to the Benue State government.
“Similarly, and worst of the current predicament, we drew the attention of Yobe State government to the plight of Bitrus Zakka, a lecturer of Umar Suleiman COE, Gashua, kidnapped around Dapchi by Boko Haram elements in November, 2019, but to no avail (Show the clip). Rumour is making the round that he might have been killed.
“This, to the Union is one neglect too many. Whereas, the Federal Government had informed us in 2018 that a joint committee of the FME and State Governments shall be constituted to address issues of the State government’s irresponsibility to their CoEs, it remains to be seen in reality.
“The Infrastructure Question Relative to Needs Assessment: A Needs Assessment of the public Colleges of Education was conducted and a report made in 2014. The implication of the report impacts on all aspects of the infrastructure of public COEs. The initial cost implication of the exercise was over nine hundred billion naira.
“However, the current administration requested a review in 2017, which was done and the reviewed report, with the cost implication of N456bn was submitted to FGN in the first quarter of 2018.
“Quite sadly, the Union had to embark on another agitation in 2018 before a paltry N15bn was pledged as a palliative. Again, while the Union is aware that the late COS to Mr. President made spirited efforts to get the HMF and HME to come to terms on the source of payment in 2018, not a farthing has been released by FGN, and no further information has been provided on the critical issue, more than two years after the commitment was willingly made.
“There is no gain-saying the implication of the non-implementation of the Needs Assessment report on such infrastructures of the Colleges as the libraries, laboratories, micro-teaching multi-media workshops, students’ hostels, and other fast-deteriorating facilities of lecture halls to mention but a few. Suffices to state that is the reports had been implemented, and in conformity with requisite standard, perhaps the concern over the effectiveness of our infrastructure to withstand the COVID-19 protocol would not have been the case.
“As we speak, most of the COEs have their Student Hostels in shambles, libraries, laboratories and micro-teaching multi-media workshops are devoid of the facilities for moot teaching, to mention just a few.
“The Act establishing the Federal Colleges of Education, which has been the springboard for those of the State colleges, is quite obsolete. Enacted in 1986, the law reflects the initial location of most of the Colleges as against their current States brought about by creation of States over the years.
“Besides, the reality of the functions of the institutions belie the initial conception of their mandate. By implication, most of the services of these institutions could be conveniently termed illegal in the face of the law.
“Thus, the situation has made it imperative for a review of the Act to reflect such realities. So, with the agitation of the Union in 2018, there was an expeditious passage of the Bill by the 8th National Assembly. Sadly, it was not transmitted to Mr. President for assent.
“Hence, the need for the 9th National Assembly (NASS) to institute a fresh legislative process, as matter of urgency, to re-enact the Law. The stalled Renegotiation of 2010 FGN-COEASU Agreement: Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA), by the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention, are binding on all parties, and subject to renegotiation every five years.
“By implication, ours should have been due for renegotiation in 2014 as well as 2019. FGN is in serial default. With the agitation of the Union, the renegotiation commenced in 2017 but got stalled unilaterally by FGN. No explanation has been offered, howsoever.
“The implication of the stalled process is that the conditions of service to which the academic staff has been in the last decade is quite obsolete/outdated. In other words, the document ought to have been renegotiated twice to usher in new provisions on the working conditions of staff, the work place and institution structure in line with current realities.
“The gross under-funding of COEs has been abysmally consistent with FGN. Quite unfortunately, State governments toe the line of FGN in this regard. It could be said that FGN encourages irresponsibility towards funding obligations.
“Credence to this claim can be seen in the ministerial appointment of a former governor known to have paid ridiculous salaries and emoluments to the staff of his State’s Colleges of Education. At the expiration of his tenure, FGN compensated him for meritorious service with the ministerial appointment in spite of owing staff thirty-eight (38) months salary, without utilizing the “bail-out” which FGN gave him to cater for the salary.
“The issue of funding affects the system in all ramification. For example, between 2012 and 2017 the funds released as capital allocation to COEs by FGN stood at just about 56% of the budgeted sums. A little while before the period in question, especially from 2006 to 2008, the totality of allocation to COEs relative to other sister institutions, was appalling.
“While the relative huge allocation to the university sub-sector in the period can be understood for obvious reasons of their enormous responsibilities and quite divergent services, that of the polytechnics, with similar conditions of service and related infrastructure with COEs remains higher till date.
“Currently, FGN has been manipulating academic staff salary with the imposition of the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) in several ways; from the unilateral stop of payment of academic staff on sabbatical leave, imposition of non-negotiated Personal Income Tax, to over-deduction of payable amount of Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
“Other impropriety which the IPPIS has engendered is the non-remittance of third-party deductions especially for staff cooperative societies and the statutory union check-off dues in contravention of ILO Convention and its own laws.
“These recurring challenges engendered by IPPIS reaffirms the Union’s earlier conviction against the implementation of the pay platform in COEs, as a tertiary institution, and thus strengthens her resolve to remain opposed to it.
“Alternatively, a pay model consistent with tertiary education administration and management should be developed for the tertiary education sub-sector.
“From the foregoing, it is quite evident that the Union’s agitation is an existential struggle geared towards revitalization of the COE system. As the main entity for the training of the teachers and managers of the foundation level of the nation’s education system, the sustained neglect of COEs portends a grave implication for the development of the entire educational system.
“So, the union hereby formally declares that all options are open for an industrial action against FGN and some notorious state governments. The public should take notice that the NEC shall reconvene shortly to unveil the series of measures that the union shall take towards bailing the COE system from the doldrums and further decadence inherent in the wanton neglect by government.”
