The Federal Government has emphasized the importance of fostering a collaborative relationship between university management and academic unions to prevent further disruptions in the nation’s public universities. As part of this effort, the government is actively engaging the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in robust discussions aimed at avoiding misunderstandings that could potentially lead to another round of strikes.
During the inauguration of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Board of Trustees and the governing councils of several federal tertiary institutions on Thursday, the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, called on the management of tertiary institutions to view unions as partners and work harmoniously with them.
“We’ve had some meetings already. Yes, yesterday we spent some time discussing the issues and developed a very robust plan to address them. We hope that what we put in place yesterday will help us avoid any form of strike,” Prof. Mamman stated.
The Minister highlighted the significance of the newly inaugurated governing councils, urging members to leverage their expertise to drive substantial improvements in the quality and performance of educational institutions. He encouraged council members to utilize their networks to attract resources and support for the institutions, noting that the government has high expectations from them in addressing the challenges facing tertiary education.
“Your appointment is a clear recognition of your track records, established integrity, and experience. These appointments reflect the diversity of our nation, professions, expertise, and experience in various areas,” Mamman said.
He further expressed gratitude to the council members for accepting the invitation to contribute to the advancement of the nation’s tertiary institutions. He urged them to reciprocate the trust and confidence placed in them by the government by using their knowledge, skills, and experience to elevate the institutions to greater heights.
The Minister emphasized the critical role that the councils would play in ensuring that the institutions fulfill their commitment to quality teaching, learning, research, and service to communities and the nation at large.
