Reps to interface with FG, ASUP, COEASU over face-off

The House of Representatives has mandated its Committee on Education to interface with the Federal Government and the unions in Polytechnics and Colleges of Education to resolve their ongoing strike
The unions are the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics and the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union.
The resolution followed a motion by Hon. Raphael Igbokwe (PDP-Imo) in Abuja on Wednesday, which was unanimously adopted without debate.
According to Igbokwe, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education have been shut down for over 10 months.
He said that the continued stay at home of students of the affected institutions would expose them to crimes.
“The strike by the academic staff of polytechnics is not in the interest of our youths as it borders on their future,” he said.
The Deputy Chairman of the committee, Hon. Rose Oko (PDP-Cross River), told the House that the strike had not been given the attention it deserved by government.
According to Oko, the ongoing strike is similar to that of ASUU that bordered on welfare of the lecturers.
She said that the committee had not had any dialogue with the unions and government since the strike began.
The lecturers embarked on strike on October 4, 2013 to demand for removal dichotomy on HND graduates.
ASUP also demanded the release of the White Paper on the needs assessment of polytechnics, review of the Polytechnic Act and improved working conditions and infrastructure within the schools.
The Federal Government had fulfilled two of the demands, which were the inauguration of governing councils and setting up of the needs assessment committee.