A glimmer of hope has emerged in the ongoing dispute between the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) as both parties reported progress in their negotiations at the weekend.
ASUU issued a 21-day strike notice to the federal government on August 19 at the end of its NEC meeting held at the University of Ibadan over some demands.
At the end of a meeting between both parties last week to avert the strike, a sub-committee was set up to review ASUU’s demands, while the government promised to ensure lasting solutions to the crisis, and the parties agreed to reconvene on September 6.
The minister of education, Professor Tahir Mamman, who addressed the union on Friday, acknowledged the collective efforts towards revitalising the education sector.
According to the director, press and public relations of the ministry, Boriowo Folasade, in a press statement, significant progress has been made as the minister emphasised the need for further collaboration and information gathering to address outstanding issues.
She said, “A joint committee, established to focus on critical matters, has made notable headway, with valuable contacts and information exchange. However, more work is required to finalize decisions and move forward with concrete steps.”