Polytechnic Lecturers Kick off Their Strike as ASUU Strike Continues

There is yet to be any sign of good news in Nigeria’s education sector since ASUU kicked off its strike 3months ago.

Today, things got worse following the commencement of a strike by polytechnic teachers countrywide.

The lecturers are taking the industrial action under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP).

Among the grievances the polytechnic teachers are presenting include alleged government’s nonchalant attitude towards technical and technological education, as well as underfunding of the institutions.

Mr. Dosunmu Babatunde, the Zonal Coordinator of ASUP in the South-West zone addressed journalists in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital Sunday.

He argued that the technological and overall development of the country is only achievable through functional polytechnic education.

However, Dosunmu expressed regret that the federal and state governments are allegedly not paying any serious attention to polytechnic education.

Babatunde listed “worrisome state of polytechnic education in the country, especially those owned by the state” as one of the reasons why his union members had to go on strike.

He specifically mentioned the state-owned polytechnics in Kwara, Ondo and Ogun as some of those suffering from avoidable decay.

The Zonal Coordinator disclosed other grievances, including alleged refusal of most state governments to implement the approved new salary scale for polytechnic teachers and the 65 years retirement age, alleged “imposition of professors from outside the polytechnic sector as rectors” and “the need for the commencement of the Needs Assessment of Nigerian Polytechnics so as not to allow the sector to collapse totally.”