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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The vice chancellor (VC), University of Jos (UNIJOS), Prof Ishaya Tanko, has pleaded with the members of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in the institution to consider the plights of students and parents and return to lecture rooms.
Recall that the UNIJOS chapter of ASUU had last Friday directed its members to stay at home, pending the payment of their withheld salaries by the Federal Government.
But speaking with newsmen in Jos, on Tuesday, Tanko said the lecturers of the institution have not gone on strike but decided to teach students from home.
The VC explained that to the best of the management’s knowledge, the lecturers decided to teach from their homes due to financial constraint they are facing.
“We have presented at the Senate that if, for instance, the lecturers are not paid when academic activities resumed, we planned that they can continue with their academic activities virtually.
“The Senate has adopted that where academic staff found it difficult as a result of lack of payment of salaries; they can do their lectures from home, using technology. And we have put in all plans concerning virtual platforms to ensure both academic staff and students can engage.
“That is my understanding of the action of the ASUU chapter of the University of Jos, which is in line with what the Senate of the university has approved with respect to staying at home because of the difficulties of transporting themselves to the university,”he said.
Tanko urged the Federal Government to reconsider its “no work no pay policy,” as the work of the academic staff was beyond teaching in classrooms.
He noted that the work of academic staff also include research and community services, which he said the lecturers were doing even during the prolonged strike.
The VC further appealed to the varsity’s chapter of ASUU to show compassion on the students and resume physical lectures.
Tanko said that the lecturers need to return to classrooms to prevent university education from total collapse.
“ASUU should please be considerate and compassionate with students and parents, and return to the classroom,” he said.
The VC expressed dismay over the remuneration and condition of service of lecturers in Nigerian universities, saying “the condition of service in Nigeria is poor when compared with that of our counterparts in other climes.”