Jos -The Vice Chancellor of the University of Jos, Professor Tanko Ishaya has appealed to the federal government to look into the issue of no work, no pay for members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, and amicably resolve the issue as such does not apply in the University environment.
Professor Ishaya explained that academics in the universities apart from teaching, also engage in administrative work, research, and community service among other responsibilities and the feats he achieved within his first year in office would have been impossible if the lecturers in his University were not working.
The VC who spoke on Thursday at the University’s Senate Chamber at the Permanent site of the institution where he gave an account of his first year in office, added that the University should be given autonomy and stakeholders must be sincere about the issue of education in the country.
His words, “We believe that building a collegial environment in the University is the fundamental requirement of excellence since every system’s success depends on the strength of the people. Within this period, we have built a collegial University, improved academic standards, improved funding, improved the welfare of staff and students, and foster industrial harmony in the University …
“My position on the no work no pay is that no work no pay is not something that can apply in the University environment, some of the achievements in the last year, without the academic staff working during the period of strike, we would not have recorded such achievements. I have said it clearly, the responsibility of academics is summarized into teaching, research, and community service.
“I believe when ASUU went on strike, what they were saying was that they will not go to the classrooms to teach. That is less than 1/3 of their activities, academics also have the responsibility of the administration. They do a lot of administrative work so we have appealed as a Committee of Vice Chancellors together with the Committee of Pro-Chancellors to Mr. President to make consideration concerning this issue because the staff has been working whether at home or in their offices and that is the reason we were able to make these achievements …”
He also stated that lack of visibility was affecting the University’s ranking but assured efforts are being intensified for improvement and added tree planting campaign has commenced in the University to curb the cases of destruction of University facilities by rainstorms.
Vanguard