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Nigeria Govt insists on no-work, no-pay for lecturers over ASUU strike

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ASUU suspends 8-month-old strike conditionally

The Federal Government on Saturday called on the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to consider the plights of Nigerian students who have stayed at home for six months and call off the strike.

The Minister of State for Education, Goodluck Nanah Opiah, made the call in Owerri while fielding questions from Journalists. He said that the Federal Government has met all the demands made by ASUU, adding that the only issue on the table is the Government’s “No Work No Pay” policy.

He said the Government believes that the lecturers who did not go to work for six months did not earn their salaries, even as he assured that the Government has mapped out N50bn to meet up with the earned allowances.

Opiah said: “ASUU should consider the plight of our children and return to school. A lot of us have our children in public universities here and the lecturers also have their children in schools in Nigeria. We don’t feel happy to return home each day and see that they schools are still locked, and I wonder how the lecturers whose children are in public universities feel when they return home each day and see that their children are still at home.

“The Ministry of Education is critical. It is a large Ministry that has so much in stock for the future of this country. The Education sector is a very critical one and Government takes this seriously. That was why the Government had to bend backwards to settle all the grey areas made by ASUU. What is the issue now is that Government insists that it cannot pay for the six months the lecturers did not go to work. The policy of “No Work No Pay” is a global practice and not a witchhunt of the lecturers.

“ASUU strike is an unfortunate one, an avoidable one. It does no good to the future of our children and the country. No doubt, lecturers have a right to make demands, be that as it may, the Federal Government has since engaged the situation and we are in talks with the lecturers. Today, all grey areas have been settled, except that the lecturers are asking that the six months they have been on strike should be laid for. But the Federal Government said no, that “No Work No Pay” policy is a universal policy.

“I think we cannot afford to set the wrong precedents by paying people who stayed at home for six months. How do we compensate the students for all the days the lectures were at home if we compensate the lecturers by paying them? If we can answer this question, that will help. However, I plead with the lecturers to please return to school”.

The Minister also called on ASUU not to politicize the industrial action, saying that the call by Union on the students whom they forced to stay at home to use their votes to remove the APC Government, brings them into the political arena. He said such unguarded comments by ASUU gives the impression that some people want to politicize the strike.

“I feel bad each time ASUU calls on the students to use their voters cards and remove the APC Government. That call is in the wrong direction and should not have happened. Industrial actions should not be politicized by anyone, and making such unguarded comments means bringing both the issues and ASUU into the political arena and it’s not good for anyone. There are many issues raised by the lecturers and they have all been resolved”, said the Minister.

However, the Minsiter expressed optimism that with the recent suspension of strike by the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and other Associated Institutions (NASU) on Saturday, the industrial action by ASUU would be over soon.

“You can see that the other unions are calling off their strike. We are almost there. I commend the President and the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu. The Federal Government has made a lot of concessions to move the Education sector higher. What I think is left is the “No Work No Pay” policy and I am sure that ASUU will come to the realisation that their insistence is not realistic.”

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Education

NELFUND Disburses Over N20bn in Student Loans, Assures Transparency

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NELFUND Disburses Over N20bn in Student Loans, Assures Transparency

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) has disbursed a total of N20,074,050,000 in institutional fees, benefiting no fewer than 192,906 students across tertiary institutions in the country.

Akintunde Sawyerr, Managing Director of NELFUND, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Monday.

According to him, the Fund has received loan applications from no fewer than 364,042 students, while about 169,114 students have so far benefitted from NELFUND’s monthly stipends disbursement. He added that N12,818,960,000 had been disbursed as stipends, with each student receiving N20,000.

Expressing gratitude to the government, Sawyerr said, “We appreciate the unwavering support of President Bola Tinubu in making higher education accessible to all deserving Nigerian students.”

He further assured that NELFUND remains committed to transparency and efficiency in managing the student loan scheme, promising to continue providing accurate updates as disbursements progress.

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Education

OISD Empowers Teachers with Digital Literacy and AI Skills to Revolutionize Education in Nigeria

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OISD Empowers Teachers with Digital Literacy and AI Skills to Revolutionize Education in Nigeria

The Organization for Innovation and Sustainable Development (OISD) has taken a significant step toward transforming education in Nigeria by organizing a one-day special training on digital literacy for secondary school teachers in Abuja.

The event, held at the OISD Training Centre in Abuja, was designed to equip educators with essential digital skills and increase awareness of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance their teaching impact.

In his opening remarks, Mr. Jamilu Yusuf Dan-Ummah, the Executive Director of OISD, introduced the theme of the program: “Empowering Educators: Advancing Digital Literacy and AI Awareness for Secondary School Impact.” He emphasized the critical role teachers play in shaping the future of education and the need to adapt to the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Mr. Dan-Ummah highlighted that the objective of the training was to bridge the digital gap in classrooms by empowering teachers with the knowledge and tools to integrate digital literacy and AI-driven solutions into their teaching methods.

According to him, educators must stay ahead of technological advancements to prepare students for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.

“This training is a response to the growing demand for educators who can leverage digital tools and AI to deliver effective learning experiences. Our goal is to ensure that teachers are not just aware of these technologies but are also capable of applying them to improve student outcomes,” Mr. Dan-Ummah stated.

The program brought together secondary school teachers from various schools across Abuja, providing them with hands-on training on essential digital tools, interactive learning platforms, and AI concepts.

Facilitators at the event shared insights on how to use technology to make lessons more engaging, foster critical thinking, and prepare students for a technology-driven world.

The event concluded with participants expressing their appreciation for the training and the actionable insights they gained. Some of the teachers highlighted the importance of continuous capacity-building programs to keep up with emerging educational trends.

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Education

Army chief charges junior officers to be enterprising and resourceful

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Nigerian Army Debunks Reports of Mass Resignation, Clarifies Discharge Process

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has charged students of the Junior Course 98 of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, to be enterprising, diligent and resourceful.

Oluyede gave the charge while addressing the students at their regimental dinner night on Wednesday in Jaji, Kaduna State.

According to him, possessing the attributes will enable them build successfully on their career and personal lives.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the dinner night is one of the major events lined up for the graduation of the students on Friday.

Oluyede said the objective of the college was to develop the professional knowledge and understanding of selected officers to prepare them for staff and command appointments.

He said the officers in the last 23 weeks had learnt some vital concepts like counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations, estimate process and manoeuvring approach to warfare and peace support operations.

“It is also gratifying that you learnt the rudiments of time management, perseverance, determination, team spirit, staff work, and self-confidence and most importantly, discipline while on this course.

“Your leadership, dedication and ability to inspire and guide your teams are essential to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and excellence.

”As junior leaders, you must be able to inspire confidence in subordinates and not lead through intimidation or be overtly coercive.

“Your impact significantly contributes to the overall plan and objectives at the operational and strategic levels, “he said.

The army chief congratulated the students on the successful completion of their course

NAN reports that prizes were given to students who distinguished themselves

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