The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, don drop fresh update on the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement, and the report show say the union and Federal Government don agree on plenty important issues wey concern varsity funding, autonomy, governance and salary.
ASUU President, Christopher Piwuna, sign the update wey dem post for the union Facebook page on Tuesday. The committee wey handle the renegotiation na the one wey former SGF, Alhaji Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, lead.
University Autonomy and Governance
ASUU talk say government don agree make full university autonomy stand gidigba as law talk am. That means Senate, Governing Council and internal rules must dey respected. Dem also agree say any circular wey no follow university law no go apply again.
Dem also agree say VCs must dey chosen on merit — no more push from host communities say their person must be VC. Membership of governing council must follow the law and people wey know university system well must dey appointed.
Departments go elect their HODs, and deans and provosts go come through internal elections. Schools must also make sure diversity dey inside staff and student recruitment.
Funding and Budget
Dem approve better needs-based budgeting system wey go cover capital and recurrent spending wey university don dey complain about for years. FG talk say research and development go get better support, and companies must dey encouraged to put money into R&D for universities.
Dem also talk say government go protect varsity land and bring new tax ideas to make education funding stable.
Administrative Matter
ASUU say Senate, Congregation and other bodies must follow their enabling law. Pre-degree programmes go focus on science and fields wey students no too dey apply for.
The old pyramidal academic structure don comot — promotion now go depend on productivity and research work, not vacancy.
Universities also get approval to import books, equipment, journals and teaching tools without paying duty.
Implementation Plan
Dem go create a monitoring unit for NUC, set up implementation committee, amend some laws and release money to meet government obligations. Every three years, dem go review the agreement.
Salaries go also dey increase automatically anytime federal workers get wage review.
Salary and Earned Allowances
ASUU say government first salary offer no make sense, but after more talk, dem bring one structure similar to the Nimi Briggs proposal. ASUU NEC accept am so the matter no go drag again.
Earned academic allowances go dey paid yearly — 12% of each university academic wage bill — inside the national budget.
The agreement also include clause say nobody wey participate for the negotiation go face punishment.
