Education
UniAbuja Strike: CONUA dissociates self, says action baseless
UniAbuja Strike: CONUA dissociates self, says action baseless
The Congress of University Academics (CONUA), University of Abuja Chapter has dissociated itself from the ongoing strike by the university branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
The Chairman, CONUA, University of Abuja Chapter, Prof. Abdul Buba, said this when the group paid a courtesy visit to the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah in Abuja on Friday.
Buba said the University system could not be grounded because it had no Governing Council, a decision that informed the industrial actions.
“We believe in stable academic calendar and that’s why we believe that there are other ways of handling labour issues rather than strike actions.
“CONUA addresses issues and not personalities. We also respect opinions of our members and not a predetermined objective of the leadership.
”We address issues without sentiments and meet with the right stakeholders in the pursue of our objectives.
“We are conscious of the negative effects of strikes, and we believe in deploying relevant strategies that will yield positive results in modern age of innovation,” he said.
He added that CONUA would continue to engage relevant stakeholders to pursue legitimate welfare for its members without dabbling with issues not of the concern to its members.
“The ongoing strike in place in the university, CONUA is not part of it because we believe in academic and service delivery.
“All these five points for the strike are baseless.
“Let me start with the issue of advertorial for the position of vice chancellor, initially if it were that the council is in place everything about employment both the employees and the principal officers start and end with the university governing council.
“But in the absence of the university governing council, the law has no provision for the vice chancellor to appoint any successor so it is the responsibility of the government to do that. So, there is no way the VC can be accused.
“This is because even the advertorial, if you watch and other advertorial that were placed by other universities, it was mentioning the ministry representing the government so this is baseless,” he said.
Also, the CONUA Secretary, Prof. Issa Abdulraheem, urged the union to focus on the welfare of its members which was the sole role of establishing a union.
“The union is established to cater for the welfare of its members, all the issues raised by the other union are baseless and have nothing to do with the staff welfare.
“And so we believe that we have ways of handling issues with stakeholders without sentiments of personalising issues. All the points raised by the other unions are not in the interest of its members,”he said.
On his part, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’Allah, appreciated CONUA for its stance in not joining the strike, hoping that academic programme by ASUU would commence soon.
The reports gathered that the University of Abuja ASUU branch had embarked on a total and indefinite strike on May 2 over alleged university’s refusal to conduct elections for the office of the Dean’s of faculties and Provost College of Health Sciences.
The Union also accused the university of carrying out promotion of some staffers without following due process.
Other reasons for the strike, according to the Union include, “Advertorial of the vacancy of the post of the Vice Chancellor without following due process, among others.
UniAbuja Strike: CONUA dissociates self, says action baseless
UNIBEN Partners with OpenBinacle to Preserve African Languages
……Collaboration Aims to Promote AI-Driven Language Preservation
The University of Benin (UNIBEN) has joined forces with OpenBinacle, a Nigerian-owned tech company, to advance the preservation and promotion of African languages through the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT).
The partnership, formalized through a joint statement issued in Benin, focuses on standardizing and preserving indigenous languages across Nigeria and Africa. Vice-Chancellor of UNIBEN, Prof. Lilian Salami, praised the collaboration, highlighting its alignment with the university’s mission of being a globally recognized institution in research and education.
OpenBinacle’s CEO, Emmanuel Gabriel, emphasized that the initiative would foster the development of AI researchers and software developers, enhancing language translation technologies across the continent. The project aims to preserve over 2,000 African languages, providing job opportunities and technical training for students and youths.
Sprezzatura Publishing Introduces Innovative Resource for Young Learners
By Halima Abdulkadiri
Sprezzatura Publishing Limited has launched a pioneering new book titled “Taxation: Essential Knowledge for Nigerian Children,” authored by Arabinrin Aderonke and Ejura Blessing Haruna. The 147-page guide is designed to make the complex topic of taxation accessible and engaging for young readers in Nigeria.
The book opens with a foreword by Dr. Zacch Adedeji, Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), underscoring the importance of early tax education. Dr. Adedeji highlights the role of tax knowledge in shaping financially responsible citizens, emphasizing its relevance to the nation’s democratic future.
Structured into 13 chapters, the book covers various aspects of taxation, from its historical roots to the different types of taxes and the government’s role in tax collection. The authors utilize simple language and relatable examples, making the subject approachable for children and young adults.
To further enhance learning, the book includes interactive elements such as questions and activities at the end of each chapter. This method not only reinforces key concepts but also encourages readers to actively engage with the material, fostering a deeper understanding.
“Taxation: Essential Knowledge for Nigerian Children” is being recommended for educational institutions across Nigeria, offering a valuable resource to equip young minds with the knowledge needed for their financial futures.
WAEC announce 215,267 Results Over Exam Malpractices, Records 73.79% Pass Rate
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) announced the release of the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results on Monday, revealing that 73.79% of the candidates achieved credit passes in at least five subjects. However, the results of 215,267 candidates, representing 11.92% of the 1,805,216 candidates who took the exam, have been withheld due to various cases of examination malpractice.
Dr. Amos Dangut, Head of WAEC Nigeria, stated that the 2024 exam was conducted over seven weeks, from April 30 to June 24, across Nigeria. He noted that 1,301,941 candidates, or 72.12%, obtained credits in five subjects, including English Language and Mathematics. Additionally, 93.39% of the candidates had their results fully processed and released, while 6.61% are still under processing.
Dangut attributed the withholding of results to incidents of malpractice, including the use of cell phones in examination halls and organized cheating in certain schools. The number of withheld results this year is 4.37% lower than in 2023, where 16.29% of results were withheld.
Investigations into the malpractice cases are ongoing, and decisions will be made by the appropriate WAEC committee. Candidates whose results have been withheld will be informed through their schools, and they have the option to appeal via the WAEC website.
Furthermore, Dangut highlighted that the results of candidates from states owing the council will not be released until the debts are settled. The WASSCE was conducted in four WAEC member countries: Nigeria, Gambia, Sierra Leone, and Liberia.
-
Business1 year agoNew Rates: ‘I borrowed money to finance this business…’ – Petroleum Marketer cries out over Non-supply of products by the NNPCL
-
Health5 months agoOnly 58,000 doctors renewed licence out of 130,000 registered doctors – MDCN
-
Entertainment2 months agoBBNaija Season 9: TAMI Duo Evicted After Low Vote Count
-
Defence & Security2 months agoOrganisers Demand IGP’s Dismissal Over Fatal Protest Crackdown
-
Defence & Security2 months ago“Defence Chief Praises Strong Inter-Service Cooperation for Operational Successes”
-
Business2 years agoNew Naira Notes: We Have No Information On The Supreme Court Ruling – CBN
-
Opinion2 years agoAddressing Nigeria’s food security challenge through eco-friendly agriculture
-
Entertainment1 month agoBBNaija S9: ‘Radicals’ duo evicted from reality show
