Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) at the Federal Polytechnic, Bida and the National Association of Polytechnic Students, (NAPS) Senate arm have kicked against the use of mercenaries to conduct the ongoing second semester examination following the industrial action embarked upon by the lecturers.
LEADERSHIP findings revealed that the polytechnic management went ahead to conduct the end-of-semester examination despite the lecturers‘ strike, who are demanding the payment of their allowances allegedly withheld.
The ASUP Bida chairman Kolo Joshua has warned that the planned use of mercenaries to conduct the examination will not be accepted by his striking members.
He said in a statement that „ The union‘s attention has been drawn to an alleged plan to import mercenaries for invigilation of examinations about which they know little or nothing“.
It is important to inform the public that our members will not accept or mark any booklet not supervised by our members and will not take responsibility for any infractions resulting from such examinations. As an academic union, we are committed to maintaining high standards of examination questions and ensuring the proper conduct of examinations,“ the ASUP chairman declared.
He said, “ASUP Bida members on the Academic Board cannot and will not accept anything less than the usual high standards we are known for while advising members to stay away from such examinations, „ especially given the negative security report advisory issued by management.
Similarly the NAPS president Oyewumi Festus Ayomide and the clerk Jimoh Ibrahim alleged that the polytechnic management has ordered deployment of military personnel to conduct examination.
The statement stated that the Polytechnic Students‘ Senate condemned „in its entirety the recent act of the Rector of Federal Polytechnic Bida, who ordered the deployment of armed soldiers to invigilate examination within the institution „.
In his reaction the rector of the polytechnic, Engineer Baba Aliyu told LEADERSHIP that it was not true that soldiers were deployed to invigilate the examination.
He said, „How can one imagine that soldiers will be deployed to invigilate examinations and the students will allow it?“
While acknowledging the lecturers‘ demand for unpaid allowances, he said a council committee was set up to investigate their demands for possible reconciliation.
