ASUP Gives Federal Gov’t 15-Day Ultimatum To Reverse Service Scheme

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has given the Federal Government a 15-day ultimatum to suspend the implementation of the newly introduced Scheme of Service (SOS) for Polytechnics staff or face industrial action.

ASUP, in demanding for the suspension of the scheme, said it lacked inclusive outputs from stakeholders, particularly from the union, vowing to pursue the issue to a logical conclusion.

Citing several contentious issues in the approved scheme, ASUP expressed fear that it is detrimental to the polytechnic sector.

The Zonal Coordinator Zone A of ASUP, Abdulazeez Badaru, in a press conference in Kaduna on Friday, stated that, “The current document is opposed unless all points of contention are addressed”.

Badaru explained that the importation of sub-tertiary level qualifications, such as the National Skills Qualifications (NSQ), as obligatory prerequisites for the career advancement of academic staff within the polytechnic is deemed laughable.

The Coordinator further explained that NSQ lacked substantive value in enhancing the delivery of curricula at the tertiary level in polytechnics, serving as an undue burden without corresponding professional development.

“We wish to stress that we studied the document thoroughly and we are committed to pursuing these issues to their logical conclusions.

“It is crucial to highlight that we have issued a 15-day ultimatum to the Federal Government effective July 8, 2024, to suspend the implementation of this rough work called “Scheme of Service for the Polytechnics” or face diverse forms of industrial action by our union”.