ASUU and LASU crisis

Read more about earlier events here

A FACTION of the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) Lagos State University (LASU) on Tuesday 3rd of February 2015 denied rumours making the rounds that that the school was enmeshed in internal crisis over the recent withdrawal of 19 doctorate certificates from some persons, including a factional chairman, Adekunle Idris.

According to the faction, the affected certificates had been re-issued and not a
subject of controversy as  peddled in some quarters.

Interim chairman of the union, Ayodele
Asokere, said the statement credited to some aggrieved members of the school that LASU was in crisis was not true and capable of putting the institution in bad light.

According to him, the environment is peaceful and students and staff, both academic and non-academic- were fully and dutifully engaged.

It would be recalled that members of the Idris- led ASUU-LASU, in company of ASUU in Lagos Zone, last week protested that the school was in crisis, stressing that it was high time Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN), looked into the matter.

The Idris-led group had complained of
victimisation by management, withdrawal of doctorate certificates, alleged incompetence of the vice chancellor, infrastructural decay among
others.

On Tuesday, however, Asokere and seven of the nine affected Ph.d holders (among the academic staff ) said they had received fresh certificates following necessary reviews and corrections.

The university authority last October ordered that nine lecturers who had completed their doctorate between 2003 and 2013 return their certificates for corrections to be effected. The matter went up to the Senate of the school, when the Head of Department, Marketing, Dr. Scholastica Udegbe, complained
that her certificate showed Marketing instead of International Business that she had researched.

Further investigations revealed that several other certificates (issued between 2003 and 2013) carried wrong nomenclature, including courses that were not offered in the university.

Affected candidates, both within and l
outside the institution, were asked to return the certificates, to which nine lecturers complied, except ASUU chairman, Idris.

One of the affected lecturers, Dr. Babatunde Yusuf, said they were all directed to return the certificates on or before Tuesday, November 18, 2014.

“Nine out of 10 of us complied with the
Senate’s directive and handed over our certificates to the issuing body and exactly 72 hours later, the senate met and re-awarded the degree reflecting what we applied for and studied, thereby correcting the anomalies reported,” he said.

Yusuf observed that the award took into
consideration key stages like the area of specialisation, as stated in the application; course work as reflected by area of specialisation; seminars presented in the area of specialisation and lastly specialisation as stated in the thesis.

“It was after this that nine of us who obeyed the Senate’s resolutions were re-issued with the corrected certificate. Rather than Adekunle Idris submitting his certificate for review and re- award, he has been denigrating and demeaning
the power of the university senate and the integrity of LASU,” he said.

Asokere stressed that there was no crisis in the university, saying “those fanning the embers of crisis in the university were outsiders who are working in collaboration with a few disgruntled elements in the university.”

According to him, “Please do not be misled by mischief makers and propagandists who are determined to create panic where there should be none and indeed, there is none.

“I stand here representing the position of all the academics in Lagos State University to state that there is no crisis in the Lagos State University. We desire sustenance of the peaceful and calm atmosphere which prevails in LASU especially as this has brought about so many development that are ongoing especially in the area of infrastructure development in Lagos State university,” he said.

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ASUU splits over LASU crisis

CITING several problems facing the Lagos State
University (LASU), the Academic Staff Union of
Universities (ASUU), Lagos Zone, on Tuesday 27 January
called on the State governor and Visitor to the
institution, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) to send
visitation panel to LASU.
Addressing reporters at the University of Lagos
(UNILAG) ASUU secretariat, the Zonal
Coordinator, Dr. Adeola Nassir, said that the
situation in LASU had worsened, even as the
institution is gradually sliding into chaos.
But as this was ongoing in UNILAG, Akoka,
another faction of ASUU in LASU, at a briefing
held on the Ojo campus of the institution,
disassociated themselves on Wednesday 28 of january 2015 #8217;s
protest.

The group, allegedly loyal to the Vice
Chancellor, Prof. John Obafunwa, claimed there
is peace in the university, except for “some
external forces” trying to instigate some
disgruntled members of the union to foment
trouble and distabilise the system.
Nassir informed that the Vice Chancellor of the
institution, Obafunwa, had defiled several efforts
to restore peace and remove LASU from the
map of crises.

He expressed disappointment that the visitor
to LASU (Fashola) has still not yielded to
several calls made by the union to investigate
the crises at the institution.

According to him, “Developments at LASU have
since gone from bad to worse due to what we
perceived as witch-hunting of our members by
the LASU administration coupled with crass
incompetence, borne out of poor vision and
warped mindset of the vice chancellor.
“Ranging from the issue of withholding of
ASUU-LASU check-off dues, to irregular
appointments and promotions; interdiction of
Prof Tunde Fatunde; withdrawal of Ph.D
certificates of ASUU-LASU chairman, Dr.
Adekunle Idris; interference with the union’s
internal matters and denial of regularisation
interview to two temporary appointees.”
Other issues as raised by the union includes,
violations of rules and regulations governing the
university; the state of LASU consult and
ventures; and his full time tenure offices as the
vice chancellor and Chief Medical Examiner of
Lagos State.

“With this double standards, how can he
(Obafunwa) sits down and think out progressive
idea on how to move LASU forward? It is clear
to us that Obafunwa is never tired of instigating
crises for LASU and government just cover his
incompetence.

“Our union is disturbed that the Lagos State
government has continued to turn its face away
from these brazen anomalies. We therefore
wondered what level of crisis would prompt
government to act right and act fast in arresting
the drift at LASU.

“For the umpteenth time, we are asking that
the governor should call Obafunwa to order
whilst at the same time setting up visitation to
LASU immediately. The alternative is to watch
LASU snowball into more crises with the
attendant implications.”

To make their dissatisfaction known to the
state government and the public, the group in
yesterday’s protest at Alausa described
Obafunwa’s administration as anti-intellectual
and autocratic, challenging Fashola to call the
VC to order before the situation becomes
uncontrollable.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the ASUU-LASU
Caretaker Committee, Ayodele Asokere, at the
Ojo briefing, dissociated his group from the
protests.
Asokere said the protest was uncalled for and
should be disregarded, saying “it is a ploy to
lure the LASU students into political thuggery
and violence.

According to him, “I want to quickly address
the call to yesterday’s protest by one Comrade
Aremu of JAF. Many text messages have been
circulated in the last few days by one unknown
Dr. Idris, giving reasons for the protest.
“Some of the reasons given were victimisation
of students and lecturers. Secondly, they cited
an intention to increase LASU school fees and
thirdly they mentioned disruption of academic
freedom.

“We are constrained to state that such a rally
is not justified for now especially since the
university has just begun a new academic
session after the smooth and successful
completion of the 2013/2014 session.”
The ASUU-LASU said their findings after so
much consultation have not revealed any
intention to hike LASU fees, even as he said no
case of victimization have been established and
that academic freedom in the university is
guaranteed.
Asokere said: “Therefore, all the reasons stated
in the text messages are baseless and
unfounded. It is clear that some mischievous
individuals are bent on disrupting the peace and
progress in LASU and this individuals are
colluding with external agents to achieve their
devilish ends.”

The ASUU-LASU leadership enjoined LASU
students to steer clear of the planned protest
and avoid anything that could jeopardise their
future as well as the smooth running of the
university’s academic calendar.

“Students need to be informed that political
thuggery may come in different guises including
this one that wears the cloak of a peaceful rally.
Parents are therefore advised not to allow their
children and wards to be used by agents of
political parties who are disguising to be
unionists.

“Parents, please be alerted that those who are
calling for the disruption of academic calender in
LASU do not have their children or wards in
LASU but in private universities in the country
where they pay astronomical fees. Please, do
not be used by some insincere individuals to
achieve some selfish ends,” Asokere said.

N10,000 entrance exam fee into Lagos model schools condemned

*Govt begins sales of forms
THE Education Rights Campaign (ERC) has
called on Lagos State Government to reverse the
N10,000 placement test fee for pupils seeking
admission into the state’s Model Colleges/
Upgraded Junior Secondary Schools (JSSI) for
the 2015/2016 academic session.
Al statement made available to The Guardian
and signed by the National Coordinator, Hassan
Taiwo Soweto
and National Secretary, Michael Ogundele,
informed that the
b decision of Governor Fashola led administration
to charge parents and guardians N10, 000 fee
for screening test into the state’s Model schools
is unlawful.
social responsibility and given the glaring deficit
in Nigeria’s school population especially to the
disadvantage of the girl child, it is expected that
government would make effort to ensure that
less of the cost of education is put on parents
and guardians in order to promote enrolment.
We demand that the decision to charge the said
amount be immediately reversed in the interest
of the good people of the State.”
“It is unfortunate that soon after the Lagos
State University (LASU) was rescued from a
debilitating astronomical hike in fees, the Lagos
State government is looking towards the Junior
Secondary subsector to implement its anti-poor
motives and agenda for public education.”
“We urge the State government to live up to its
much-advertised free education policy. It is
nothing but a show of shame when a
government claims to be implementing free
education while it at the same time imposes on
parents and guardians all kinds of charges
running into thousands.”
Meanwhile a statement previously released by
the State’s Ministry of Education, informed that
the State has commenced the sales of forms for
the screening test for admission of primary six
pupils into JSS1 of its Model Colleges/Upgraded
Junior Secondary Schools for the 2015/2016
academic session.
The State Commissioner for Education, Mrs.
Olayinka Oladunjoye, in the statement, explained
that two versions of the screening tests will be
adopted this year adding that there will be the
Computer Based Test (CBT), open to only about
b 20 to 30 interested candidates that will like to
participate in the pilot scheme and the regular
Pencil Based Test (PBT) with computer answer
sheet.
She informed that the registration of
candidates could be done through a customised
CD that will be issued to candidates by the
State Examination Board upon the payment of
the sum of N10,000 per candidate payable into
any branch of Fidelity bank with account number
5030000739, agency code 4280011 and revenue
code 40200045; Skye bank with account number
1770602459, agency code 280011 and revenue
code 40200045; and FCMB with account number
L 0135582205, agency code 4280011 and revenue
code 40200045.
She further stated that the screening test is
the only yardstick for admission of pupils into
JSS1 in any of the state’s 15 Model Colleges
across the six education districts.
The screening test is scheduled to hold on
Saturday, May 9, 2015 at the various designated
centers, while the pilot scheme of the CBT will
hold at the ICT/Computer Centre of the State
Examinations Board, Agege.
She urged members of the public, parents,
guardians, head teachers, proprietors and
proprietress of primary schools in the state to
beware of the information and be guided
accordingly.
The 15 Model Colleges/Upgraded Schools
include Lagos State Model Junior College,
Meiran; Vetland Junior Grammar School, Ifako
Iyaiye; Lagos State Model Junior College,
Igbokuta; Lagos State Civil Service Model Junior
College, Igbogbo; Oriwu Model Junior College,
Ikorodu; Government Junior College, Ikorodu;
Eva Adelaja Memorial Junior Secondary School,
Bariga; Lagos State Model Junior College,
Badore; Lagos State Model Junior College,
Igbonla; and Lagos State Model Junior College,
Agbowa.
Others are Government Junior College, Ketu-Epe;
Epe Junior Grammar School, Epe; Lagos State
Model Junior College, Kankon; Lagos State
Model Junior College, Ojo; and Badagry Junior
Grammar School, Badagry.
The sales of forms will close on Friday, April 3,
2015.

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