Federal Government Announces ASUU Strike Cancellation
The Minister of Education, Olatunji Alausa, has announced that the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) will gradually migrate to computer-based testing (CBT), with the aim of curbing examination malpractices. This shift comes as part of major reforms being planned in the examination system in Nigeria.
According to Alausa, the November WAEC exams will commence with computer-based objective questions, while essay sections will remain paper-based. By next year, both the objectives and the essays will be fully computer-based, and by 2026, all components will be fully computer-based in WAEC and NECO.
Alausa believes that the implementation of CBT will encourage students to study more and improve the quality of their exam preparation. He has also stated that he will deal with ASUU and other trade unions with mutual respect, as the Federal Government is currently engaging with ASUU and other trade unions.
However, the specific issues covered in the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, such as sustainable university funding, revitalisation of institutions, outstanding salary arrears, stagnated promotions, unremitted third-party deductions, and alleged victimisation of members in some universities, have not been discussed in this context.
It is important to note that the Minister did not mention any plans for a potential ASUU strike or any assurances from the Federal Government about ASUU not going on strike. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in Nigeria has presented several demands to the federal government that remain unimplemented, primarily including improved funding for universities, better welfare and salaries for academic staff, resolving university strike issues, and implementation of agreements on university autonomy and staff promotion terms.
The Federal Government has assured Nigerians that it is committed to addressing these issues without resorting to brinkmanship. As negotiations continue, students, educators, and the public eagerly await updates on the progress being made to improve the quality of education in Nigeria.
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