An Open Letter to President Muhammadu Buhari from SSUCOEN
An Open Letter to President Muhammadu Buhari from SSUCOEN
By Ben Ngwakwe Gombe
The Senior Staff Union of Colleges of Education Nigeria has written an open letter in which they Marshalled out their demands and agitations.
These demands were technically unattended to as at when due bored on the affairs and growth of Colleges of Education in Nigeria.
For instance, the Senior Staff Union of Colleges of Education in Nigeria,(SSUCOEN), has written to the President and the Hon. Minister of Education at different times and seasons, marshalling out their demands and problems facing the Institutions, which could also help his administration move forward and bring about industrial harmony, incidentally, it fell on deaf ears leading to the open letter when other channels of communication have failed to address their problems.
In an open letter addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari on 15th February 2021 which was signed by the National President, Comrade Danladi Ali Msheliza and National Secretary, Mr Nwenyi Leo Isioma, was made available to Journalists, categorically stated their positions and grievances in the said statement.
As the father of the Nation, the Union expressed their appreciation to the Federal Government for yielding to the prolonged and sustained agitations by the Union and other sister Unions in the Tertiary Education sector.
The Union, no doubt, expressed their concerns about the non-release of the White Paper on 2012 Visitation Panel to Colleges of Education, which could have been the basis for which the newly constituted Visitation Panel would anchor her assignments, with a view to achieving her terms of reference.
It could also be aimed at solving the teething problems and gaps in the general administration, infrastructure and funding needs of public Colleges of Education as well as aimed at sustaining industrial harmony.
However, the current happenings now in the education sector have created doubts and misgivings “to express our doubts on what the government intends to achieve with the constitution of the Visitation Panels to Colleges, at this time, without the release of the white paper on the last Visitation Panel”.
“Hence, we wish to opine that for the Visitation Panels to carry out their assignments successfully, the following questions need to be answered & addressed”:
“On what basis would the Panels commence their assignments without the white paper on the last Visitation, which would have been the basis (take off point) for the intended visitation?”.
Secondly “what does government intends to achieve?”, pointing out further that “what is delaying the release of the report of the last Visitation Panel to Colleges of Education, about nine (9) years after the last Visitation?”.
Lamenting further on their unattended question is, ” what has the Federal Government done on the report (if any) of the last Visitation Panel, to justify the terms of reference given to the newly constituted Visitation Panels?”.
“Why are there no Academics and Administrators from Colleges of Education subsector, on the composition of Chairmen and members of the Visitation Panels to Colleges, who would have been in the best position to know the workings of the subsector?”.
“How would the Panels examine the quality of leadership of the Institutions in terms of the roles of Governing Councils, when there is no Council in place for Colleges (despite our continued agitations to constitute Governing Councils)?”.
The Union is making serious agitations and demands which any serious and purposeful administration should listen to, but the case is different at this time of filling the report.
The Union not done with the questions, patriotically, sincerely and faithfully understands the narratives in view of the foregoing concerns and worries and decided to request for the immediate release of the white paper/report on the last Visitation Panel to Colleges of Education, which is long overdue, and to implement its content, which will serve as a basis for the take-off of the Panels; douse tension and mitigate breakdown of industrial relations.
Secondly, the Union asked for immediate constitution of Governing Councils for Colleges of Education, for the smooth running of the institutions; and
Inclusion of seasoned Academics & Administrators from the Colleges of Education subsector.
Thirdly, the Union also, demanded that in the composition of the Visitation Panels to Colleges that Mr President kindly intervene by ensuring that the report of the last Visitation Panel to Colleges of Education is released and also constitute Governing Councils for Colleges of Education.
While anticipating the quick intervention of Mr President, the Union look forward to a positive response with a view to addressing the worries and concerns to avoid industrial disharmony.
