Two workers unions in Nigeria's colleges of education are grazing up for a showdown with the federal government over mirage of demands
The unions are the colleges of education academic staff union, COEASU and the Senior staff union of Colleges of Education.
First here is the statement by COEASU then later SSUCOE
COLLEGES OF EDUCATION ACADEMIC STAFF UNION
(C O E A S U)
N A T I O N A L S E C R E T A R I A T
(An Affiliate of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC))
Address:C/o National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Central Business District, Abuja
President: Nuhu Ogirima. Tel: 08036171236, 08077256925 General Secretary: Taiwo A. Olayanju. Tel: 08135917413, 07051491035
www.coeasu.org.ng
THE NEGLECT OF NIGERIAN COLLEGES OF EDUCATION SUB-SECTOR BY THE GOVERNMENT: A DANGEROUS TREND IN TEACHER-EDUCATION
Being the Text of World Press Conference Held by the President, Nuhu Ogirima, at the Formal Declaration of Trade Dispute with the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) and some State Governments on
Thursday, 3rd September, 2020
Please, recall that we had cause to address you on a range of challenges confronting the Colleges of Education (COEs) in Nigeria, the most recent of which was 15th July, 2020. Sadly, the government has chosen to ignore the renewed attempt of the Union to call attention to the dire situation the COE 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. Yet, the government chose to ignore our pleas. Thus, this press conference shall focus on some of the critical responsibilities which FGN chose to ignore at the expense of the survival of the COE system.
a) The Wanton Neglect of the COE system by some States and the Federal Government
Evidence No. 1: Non-response to Series of Memo Reminding FGN of her Commitment: Recall that the agitation of the Union between October and November, 2018 resulted in some commitments by FGN. On 5th December, 2018 the Union suspended her nation-wide strike action because of such commitments. Unfortunately, FGN has failed to live up to its pledges. So, between 5th December 2018 and now, the Union made spirited efforts towards making FGN commit to its obligations. Letters were written to the government, as represented by the Federal Ministry of Education (FME) and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment (FML&E), as well as the agencies under them with appropriate jurisdiction on the issues in contention. Given the nonchalant response from the MDAs, the Union wrote to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, himself, for intervention. These efforts are listed as below:
i. Suspension of Nation-wide Strike Action, reference COEASU/NS/01/15, dated 5th December, 2018;
ii. The Union’s Resolution on Her Suspended National Strike, reference COEASU/NS/01/01 and COEASU/NS/01/02, dated 8th February, 2019;
iii. Non-fulfilment of the Federal Government’s Commitment on Lingering Issues in Contention: A Call for Urgent Redress, reference COEASU/NS/03/04, dated 4th April, 2019;
iv. Non-implementation of CONTISS 15 for the Lower Cadres in Colleges of Education: The Need for Redress, reference COEASU/NS/01/11, served on 20th June, 2019;
v. Lingering Issues of Industrial Concern in Colleges of Education: The Urgent Need to Implement Critical Resolutions Reached with Government, reference COEASU/NS/01/44, dated 8th July, 2019, and served on 10th July. 2019;
vi. The Plight of Colleges of Education in Nigeria: A Passionate Plea for Intervention, reference COEASU/NS/01/01, dated 2nd September, 2019 (this memo was addressed and served Mr. President himself).
vii. The current ultimatum, referenced COEASU/NS/01/19 and the reminder, COEASU/NS/01/21, dated 13th July and 17th July, 2020 respectively, has ran its full course without the desired result.
Evidence No. 2: Policy of Outsourced Services and its Implication on Colleges’ Security: 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. 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.
b) 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.
c) The Need to Review the Establishment Act of FCEs: 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 7th National Assembly. Sadly, it was not transmitted to Mr. President for assent. Hence, the need for the 8th National Assembly (NASS) to institute a fresh legislative process, as matter of urgency, to re-enact the Law.
d) 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.
e) The Question of Funding: 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, as indicated in the following Table:
(Source: Sufficient Funding of Higher Education in Nigeria)
The figures can be graphically represented as follows:
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.
Below is SSUCOE Letter to Minister of Education.
1st August, 2020
The Hon. Minister,
Federal Ministry of Education,
Federal Secretariat Complex,
Abuja
Sir,
*UNEDNDING CHALLENGES IN COLLEGES OF EDUCATION SECTOR: GOVERNMENT INSENSITIVITY TO THE PLIGHT OF COLLEGES OF EDUCATION:*
The Senior Staff Union in Colleges of Education, Nigeria (SSUCOEN) had made several efforts, including writing letters, and meetings/engagements with relevant government agencies, including the Federal Ministry of Education (FME), Federal Ministry of Labor and Employment, National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) and the office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), without yielding the desired result. The Union had equally released several press statements and press Conferences on the challenges bedeviling our sector.
We therefore, wish to present the following challenges and calling on government,, through the Hon Minister of Education, Hon Minister of Labor and Employment, the Executive Secretary, National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) and the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) to urgently address them or face total industrial action:
*Stalled Renegotiation of the 2010 FGN/SSUCOEN Agreement:*
You may recall that our Union (SSUCOEN) and other sister Unions in the Colleges of Education subsector, signed an agreement with the federal government in 2010, with the understanding that the agreement would be reviewed and renegotiated after every five (5) years. The renegotiation of the 2010 FGN/SSUCOEN agreement ought to resume in 2014, but government, in her usual manner of insincerity and non-chalant attitude, did not constitute the renegotiation team until after much agitations and threats to industrial action by our Union and other sister Unions. After years of persistent agitations by Unions in Colleges of Education, Government has reconstituted the re-negotiation team to renegotiate the 2010 FGN/SSUCOEN. It should, however, be noted that since inauguration of the team by the Hon. Minister of Education (HME), Mal Adamu Adamu, on 14th August 2017, the exercise has been deliberately stalled by Government in the guise of lack of funds. How can a sincere government constitute a Committee as serious as the 2009 Renegotiation Committee, without funding? We see this as a deliberate attempt to frustrate speedy renegotiation of a ‘long awaited exercise’ which would have addressed most of the demands & challenges of our Colleges.
The Union had written several letters to the Hon. Minister of Education and other relevant government agencies, on the need to expedite action to conclude the renegotiation, but to no avail.
Our believe is that, if the renegotiation exercise is completed and signed, most of our agitations would have been addressed. One therefore, wonders why government is foot-dragging.
*Mainstreaming of Demonstration Schools into the services of Colleges:*
Establishment of Demonstration Schools in Colleges of Education is requirement, not a choice.
The minimum standards for the graduation of students of Primary Education Studies (PES) and Early Child Care Education (ECCE), as provided by the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) requires that each College is to establish a Demonstration School, which shall serve as a laboratory for the purposes of practical demonstration of teaching to the students. This is in addition to agreement reached with the federal government as contained in the 2010 FGN/SSUCOEN agreement on the existence of demonstration schools. One therefore, wonders why government will term Demonstration schools as private schools. The question is, would government use private schools for accreditation purposes? Hence, the need to mainstream Demonstration Schools into the services and budget of Colleges.
*Non implementation of 65 years retirement age for state Colleges of Education:*
Implementation of 65 years retirement age for our members of state Colleges of Education remains one of our greatest challenges, despite several engagements with government on the matter. Only few state governments have implemented the policy of 65 years retirement age for staff in their state owned Colleges of Education.
*Inadequate funding of Colleges of Education, especially State Colleges* :
There is general Neglect of Colleges of Education by Governments (State & Federal) in areas of funding, infrastructural development & staff welfare. A situation where Teaching & Learning environments are an eye sore; Students seat on bare floor to receive lectures is unacceptable. But for the various interventions by TETFund, our Colleges would have been in a ‘Sorry State’. A visit to our Colleges would show you that 90% of infrastructural facilities, including vehicles, staff offices & furniture are all TETFund sponsored projects.
It may interest you to note that government have been paying lip service to the myriads of Colleges of Education in Nigeria. A case in point is near zero budgetary releases/allocation to Colleges, for both capital and overhead. It has equally been established that the FME has been playing double standard against Colleges of Education, relative to other Tertiary Educational Institutions.
*Review of the policy on outsourcing of Cleaners and Securities:*
In view of increased insecurity in the country and the rapid spread of COVID-19, there is the need for government to revisit the outsourcing policy of security personnel and cleaners, so as to allow institutions have full control of security personnel and cleaners, to ensure safe, clean and hygienic environment in our campuses. Government should note that in trying to save cost in its outsourcing policy, lives of staff and students which are paramount, are now threatened and jeopardized. This is, in addition to the threat to huge government investment, by the private security and cleaning outfits. Hence, the need for government to urgently abolish and revert the policy on outsourcing of Institutions’ security personnel and cleaners. This commitment is now necessary because private cleaners and security personnel cannot guaranty the health and safety of staff and students in Colleges of Education.
*Demand for Visitation panel & non-release of White Paper on the 2014 Visitation Panel:*
The importance of Visitation Panel to Colleges of Education can never be overemphasized. Our Union had severally expressed her concerns over the delay by federal government to constitute the visitation panel to Colleges, with a view to assessing the needs of the Colleges across the country. More so, we are concerned about the non-release of the White Paper on 2012 Presidential Visitation Panel to Colleges of Education, and the non-implementation of the Presidential Needs Assessment report of Public Colleges of Education, 2014, which would have solved the gap in infrastructure and funding needs of most Colleges of Education.
We, therefore, call on government to:
*Send visitation panel to Colleges to douse tension, prevent further decay in infrastructure and breakdown of industrial relations
*Release the White paper on the last visitation, which is long overdue, to help solve the funding gap in Colleges of Education, and for the comprehensive implementation of the 2014 needs assessment report.
*To implement with immediate effect, the Presidential Needs Assessment report of Public Colleges of Education, 2014, which would solve the gap in infrastructure and funding needs of most Colleges of Education.
*Non-release of the approved Fifteen Billion naira (N15 Billion) palliative/revitalization fund:*
President Muhammad Buhari had, in 2018, released a letter, directing the Hon. Minister of Finance, to source for fund and release the sum of N15 Billion as palliative towards the revitalization of public Colleges of Education. Unfortunately, in spite of our continued agitations, government is yet to release the N15 Billion to public Colleges.
Government should therefore, effect the release of the N15 billion palliative fund for the revitalization of public Colleges of Education, as approved by Mr President.
*Absence of Governing Councils in Federal Colleges of Education and some State Colleges* :
The tenure of the last Governing Councils of Federal Colleges of Education ended in May, 2020. Prior to the expiration of their tenure of office, the Union had written to Government, drawing her attention to the end of tenure of the Governing Councils and the need to reconstitute a new Council, with a view to avoiding vacuum which grave consequence on the administration of Colleges in the country. This is, in recognition of the vital role played by Councils of Colleges, as enshrined in the Act establishing them. Unfortunately, government refused to heed to our request and agitations, which has now thrown Colleges into serious gap of administration.
The Union, therefore, calls on government to expedite action in constituting Governing Councils for Colleges of Education, to ensure smooth running of the Colleges.
*Unending challenges of IPPIS: Non-release of accrued deductions for Cooperatives and other recoveries by the office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF):*
It is sad to note that since our forceful enrolment into IPPIS and the subsequent commencement of payment of our salaries by IPPIS, in February, 2020; statutory and non-statutory deductions have been made by IPPIS without remittance to beneficiary accounts. This is however, a confirmation of our fears that IPPIS would fail us, owing to our peculiarities. Other challenges include but not limited to: Non-payment of Sabbatical salaries, Non-capture of some staff, non-pay rolling of some staff on IPPIS, refusal to undertake mop-up exercise to capture other staff who could be captured in November, 2019. Sadly, we still have members who have been paid their salaries since February, 2020. All efforts to make IPPIS do the needful has not yielded the desired result. Hence the need for NLC’s intervention.
*Non-payment of consequential adjustment/Minimum Wage arrears:*
This is another sad experience with IPPIS. It is no longer news that minimum wage arrears has since, been paid to all workers on the IPPIS platform, except those of us in the Tertiary Education sector. We therefore, call on the OAGF to immediately work out modalities for the payment of the minimum wage arrears to workers in the Tertiary Education sector.
*Training of Health workers in Colleges’ Health Centers and provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)*
Our Colleges’ Health Centers are involved in the treatment and counselling of staff and their families; students, visitors and members of adjourning communities, especially those on the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), who visit these Health Centers on daily basis to access Medical Care Services. Hence, COVID-19 cannot be allowed to take root on our campuses, as the consequences would be dire to staff, students and their families. It is no longer news, that in Nigeria, today, many health professionals have contracted the virus while many others have died from the disease.
Due to the complexity involved in the care, treatment and control of COVID-19; Health workers in States and federal hospitals are currently undergoing series of trainings on infection prevention and control of infectious diseases, especially in relation to COVID-19.
Training of health professionals in our Colleges’ Health Centers are yet to be carried out, as being done to their colleagues in other health care facilities. This, in our opinion is a gap that is rife for potential danger to our campuses, especially upon resumption of academic activities.
In view of the above narratives, the Union requests your good offices to:
*Urgently facilitate a central training (preferably at NCCE, Abuja or any other facility at Abuja), for Heads of various College Health Centers & the Head of NCCE Clinic; on infection prevention & control of infectious diseases, especially in relation to COVID-19, which is to be coordinated by NCCE, through relevant bodies such as the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH); Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC); World Health Organization (WHO); or the National Primary Health Care Development agency (NPHCDA).
*Outstanding promotion arrears to staff of both state and Federal Colleges:*
It is sad to note that the OAGF has refused to remit accrued check-off dues of the three Unions (COEASU, SSUCOEN and NASU), accruing from the payment of promotion arrears for the years 2013-2017. The accrued promotion arrears were paid in 2018, where check-off dues was deducted at source. This was despite series of engagements with the OAGF, followed by series of letters, jointly signed by the three Unions. Although we were given several assurances by the OAGF that the accrued check-off dues from the said promotion arrears was to be released to the Unions since 2018, it is yet to see the light of the day.
We therefore call on the OAGF to investigate why the check-off dues are yet to be paid and also ensure it is released, forthwith.
Equally of note is the non-implementation of promotion and non-release of promotion arrears to staff of State Colleges of Education. However, in this regards, the union wishes to commend the Provost and management of Aminu Sale College of Education, Azare, Bauchi State, for prompt promotion of staff and payment of promotion arrears where necessary. It is one state College that is unique and who takes the welfare of staff and students as a priority.
*RE-OPENING OF SCHOOLS/INSTITUTIONS UNDER COVID-19 ERA:*
In response to the calls for re-opening of Schools/Institutions in Nigeria, particularly the tertiary institutions; the National Executive Council of the Senior Staff Union in Colleges of Education, Nigeria (SSUCOEN), had, through her Education and Research Department, conducted an extensive study on the trend of the spread of COVID-19 across the globe and the risk of opening Institutions under COVID-19, with its attendant effects on global economies & Education of countries, including our dear country, Nigeria.
Upon careful study of the global situation, therefore, the Union has come to the understanding that nations have to learn to live with coronavirus as a “New Normal”. Therefore, keeping students out of school for too long under a situation of uncertainties have grave multi-sectoral consequences. Hence the need to urgently adopt safety measures to sustain the new normal, with a view to opening institutions immediately, with utmost caution and safety measures that will limit or stop community spread of the virus.
Consequently, SSUCOEN wishes to submit her position as follows:
*WHAT GOVERNMENT NEED TO PUT IN PLACE BEFORE RE-OPENING OF SCHOOLS:*
For a successful reopening of schools, government need to consider and put in place the following:
*Immediate training of health workers in all the Health Centers/Clinics of Institutions; and also provide them with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for their protection. To this end, Government should immediately train all Heads of these Health Centers/Clinics, through NUC, NCCE & NBTE, for Universities, Colleges of Education & Polytechnics respectively, who will in-turn step down the training to other health workers at their various Institutions.
*Immediate release of COVID-19 intervention funds to all Institutions to enable them provide the needed safety measures and sustain the new normal.
*General decontamination/fumigation of the entire premises and buildings of all Institutions, including students’ hostels, classrooms, lecture halls/theatres, Health Centers/Clinics, staff offices, etc.
*Federal Ministry of Education is to recognize and continuously appreciate the front line workers in Health Centers/Clinics of Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education, and ensure prompt payment of their COVID-19 special incentives, hazard/inducement allowance and other benefits as recently approved by Federal Government, and paid to other medical and health workers of federal tertiary hospital across Nigeria. These and others, will help in creating a safe teaching and learning environment in our Educational Institutions.
*In addition to the above key components, government is to put in place crisis recovery strategies and a comprehensive National Safe School Policy to assist Educational Institutions to conduct risk assessment audit of schools and install appropriate safe school best practices, policies, programs and protocols.
*We wish to, therefore, state that if government does not come to round table with the Union to address the above mentioned challenges, the Union shall be left with no option than to embark on infinite strike action, without further notice.*
*Danladi Ali Mssheliza, Mnim
(President)*