Education
Fear Looms As Nigerians Await ASUU’s Decision After Warning Strike
Students and stakeholders in the education sector are waiting for the next step as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)’s one-month warning strike ends on Monday.
The National Executive Council (NEC) of the union is meeting at the national secretariat of the party and is expected to make an official statement later in the day.
While ASUU has not made a statement, reports suggest that the union may likely extend the industrial action.
On Sunday, the union said it is angered by the Federal Government’s claim that the University Transparency and Accountability Solution (UTAS), developed to replace the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) did not pass tests.
“However, in a curious twist of submission, the NITDA Technical Team, after conducting a comprehensive functionality test came out to say that out of 687 test cases, 529 cases were satisfactory, 156 cases queried, and two cases were cautioned,” the union said.
“Taking this report on its face value, the percentage score is 77%. The question that arises from this is, can 77% in any known fair evaluation system be categorised as failure?”
The latest round of strikes followed ASUU’s grievances with the Federal Government over its handling of a 2020 agreement it reached with the union.
While government and ASUU officials have had a series of meetings in the wake of the industrial action, they have been accusations and counter-accusations as both parties failed to reach an agreement.
Irked by the incessant strikes, students protested across the nation, demanding the reopening of varsity campuses. They accused ASUU and the Federal Government of insensitivity, saying they are the most affected by the situation.
A meeting between the Education Minister, Adamu Adamu, and officials of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) ended in deadlock.
This year’s strike comes about one year after ASUU ended a nine-month strike.
Education
Athena Centre Appointed to NGREN Board as Federal Government Deepens Data-Driven Governance
Joel Ajayi
The Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership has been appointed to the Governing Board of the Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN)/Tertiary Education Research Applications and Services (TERAS). NgREN -Nigeria’s national research and education backbone – provides high-speed connectivity, shared digital services, and collaboration infrastructure for universities and research institutions, while TERAS powers the digital applications that support research, data exchange, and digital learning across the tertiary system.
In a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by the center’s Media and Communications Officer Paul Liam.
The new NgREN/TERAS Board was inaugurated by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, at the Nigeria National EdTech Strategy Mid-Term Co-Creation Workshop, hosted with support from Mastercard Foundation and the World Bank Group.
The Board includes the Executive Secretaries of NUC, NBTE, NCCE, and TETFund; representatives of vice chancellors, rectors, and provosts; and major digital infrastructure stakeholders such as NCC, Galaxy Backbone, and USPF. The Athena Centre joins the Board as the civil society voice.
In his remarks, Dr. Alausa acknowledged the Centre’s role in shaping national transparency reforms, noting that the Ministry’s Federal Tertiary Institutions Governance Transparency Portal (FTIGTP) drew inspiration from Athena’s research and advocacy.
He expressed confidence that the reconstituted Board will deliver measurable improvements within two years to strengthen Nigeria’s research ecosystem and digital readiness.
Representing the Centre on the Board, its Chancellor, Chief Osita Chidoka, OFR, commended the Ministry’s commitment to transparency and evidence-based reform.Reaffirming the Ministry’s digital direction, Dr. Alausa stated: “For the first time, Nigeria is building a unified data architecture for basic, secondary, and tertiary institutions. You cannot reform what you cannot measure, and we are determined to measure what matters.”
Echoing the need for interoperability, Dr. Tijani emphasised the importance of shared digital infrastructure, noting:“Digital transformation fails when systems operate in silos. Our priority is a national architecture where platforms talk to each other and every school is connected.”
Chidoka welcomed the digital innovation underway but stressed the importance of deeper inclusion of state governments, who own and manage most Nigerian schools, in planning, implementation, and financing.
According to him:“For education to succeed, states must invest, lead, and commit. The Federal Government must coordinate and support, but it cannot carry the burden of school management alone.”
The Athena Centre reaffirmed its commitment to supporting federal and state governments in strengthening education data systems, digital governance, and transparent accountability.Media Contact:
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