The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) members at the Isa Mustapha Agwai Polytechnic in Lafia, Nasarawa State, have joined a national protest against the newly introduced Scheme of Service (SOS) for Polytechnic staff by the Federal Government.
The national leader of ASUP had issued the Federal Government a 15-day ultimatum to suspend the implementation of the SOS or face strike action.
The Nasarawa ASUP members had in response, held a peaceful protest in Lafia, expressing their grievances over the new scheme to the government.
This protest in Nasarawa is part of a larger movement by ASUP chapters spread across the country, all standing as one against the Federal Government’s new Scheme of Service.
ASUP in its entirety has vowed not to accept the new scheme, which stipulates 26 years in service for lecturers to reach the highest level in the polytechnic, as compared to 18 and 20 years for their counterparts in universities and colleges of education.
What They’re Saying
Dr. Illah Obadiah, the Chairman of ASUP at Isa Mustapha Agwai Polytechnic, addressed newsmen after the protest saying that it represented a severe threat to the polytechnic system.
“The introduction of National Skill Qualifications as a mandatory condition for academic staff career growth is unjust,” Obadiah had said, condemning the new requirements, which he believed unfairly discriminated against Higher National Diploma holders in favour of degree holders for lecturing positions.
The Chairman also pointed out the disputable requirements for the appointment of registrars, bursars, chief librarians, and the underrepresentation of polytechnic technologists as non-teaching staff within the new scheme.
Finally, he labeled the entire document as an slight on the career progression for polytechnic lecturers.
