Education
FG, States, Be warned We Will Strike, Without Warning –ASUU
By Nick Ibe, Abuja
Without urgently resolving all the pending salary and welfare issues, by the Federal Government and state governments issues, affecting lecturers’ welfare and the implementation of the 2025 agreement, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will shut down public universities again.
ASUU warned that it may activate its suspended strike “without any further notice.”
The threat followed an emergency meeting of its National Executive Council (NEC) held on September 5, 2026, at its Festus Iyayi National Secretariat Complex, University of Abuja.
ASUU National President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, released the statement to journalists in Abuja on Friday, saying the failure of the government to fully implement the December 2025 agreement, pay outstanding withheld salaries and remit billions of naira deducted from workers’ pay had pushed the university system towards another industrial crisis.
The union said it could no longer guarantee uninterrupted academic activities while the economic and professional wellbeing of its members remained under threat.
ASUU said lecturers are still owed three-and-a-half months out of the seven-and-a-half months’ salaries withheld during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, despite the payment of four months by the present administration.
It said the outstanding salaries had lost more than 50 per cent of their value since 2022 due to the devaluation of the naira and rising inflation. It said:
“We state for the umpteenth time that the lecturers have done the work for which they are being punished. They did it at huge cost to their physical and psycho-social well-being.
“Some lost their lives in the process and many are now managing life-threatening ailments. For healing and restoration in the Nigerian University System, we think the withheld salaries of lecturers should be released without further delay.”
ASUU also accused the government of failing to remit deductions from lecturers’ salaries for pension contributions, staff cooperative societies and ASUU check-off dues, alleging that the outstanding third-party deductions run into billions of naira.
The union described the non-remittance of the deductions as a double financial loss to its members, arguing that workers were not only denied access to the funds but also deprived of potential investment returns.
It alleged that the continued withholding of the deductions could be linked to lecturers’ rejection of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
“ASUU-NEC is fully prepared to call out its members if nothing concrete is done to address this lingering problem without further delay,” the union warned.
The union also expressed frustration over what it described as the “non- or haphazard implementation” of the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement by federal and state governments.
While commending the Federal Ministry of Education for recent efforts to clear outstanding salaries owed workers in federal universities of agriculture, ASUU said the interventions had not addressed the broader challenges confronting academics.
It said lecturers were being subjected to uncertainty over when and how much of their salaries would be paid, with some allegedly having to engage their vice-chancellors over salary delays.
ASUU, however, singled out Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, for commendation, saying he had publicly announced the full adoption of the 2025 FGN-ASUU agreement and apologised to the union over bureaucratic bottlenecks that caused delays and distortions.
The union also commended Bauchi, Ekiti, Ogun, Benue, Yobe, Adamawa, Kebbi, Katsina and Borno states, where it said implementation of the agreement had commenced.
It said Kano, Edo, Plateau, Taraba, Gombe and Bayelsa states had pledged to commence implementation in September or October.
ASUU, however, warned governors yet to act that failure to implement the agreement could plunge their universities into what it described as an “industrial crisis of monumental proportions.”
The union said authorities of affected universities had already been notified of the commencement of strike action in their respective institutions unless satisfactory progress was recorded.
ASUU also opened another front of confrontation with Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, over the two-year extension granted to the Vice-Chancellor of Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Prof. Clement Adegbooye.
Governor Adeleke had, on September 1, announced the extension of Adegbooye’s tenure from January 2027 to January 2029 during the inauguration of the university’s reconstituted Governing Council.
ASUU described the decision as unacceptable, arguing that the law under which the vice-chancellor was appointed provides for a single five-year tenure without extension.
The union accused the governor of hurriedly amending the law to accommodate the extension, warning that the development could undermine university autonomy and set a dangerous precedent for other state universities.
It also criticised Adegbooye for accepting the extension, noting that he had previously served as a branch secretary of ASUU at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
The union urged him to reconsider the decision before January 2027, when it said his legally valid tenure would expire.
ASUU warned that it would challenge the development if efforts to reverse the decision failed.
ASUU Faults Government’s Economic Claims
Beyond university-specific grievances, ASUU accused the Federal and state governments of increasingly shifting their attention from governance and workers’ welfare to the 2027 general elections following the lifting of the ban on electioneering campaigns on August 19.
The union rejected government claims of macroeconomic growth, arguing that the figures had not translated into improved living conditions for ordinary Nigerians.
It cited declining purchasing power, rising living costs and inadequate access to healthcare, education, electricity, potable water and roads as evidence of what it described as “growth without development.”
ASUU also endorsed the call by Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, for an immediate review of the national minimum wage, saying workers’ salaries could no longer cope with inflation.
The union advocated indexing the minimum wage to inflation to protect workers’ purchasing power and provide an automatic mechanism for adjusting wages as the cost of living rises.
‘Don’t Blame Us If Universities Shut Down’
ASUU said its latest warning should not be interpreted as an attempt to deliberately disrupt the academic calendar, insisting that the welfare of its members had reached an existential point.
It appealed to students, parents, labour leaders, media practitioners and other Nigerians to prevail on the government to address the brewing crisis before it escalates.
“In no mistaken terms, ASUU posits that the non- or haphazard implementation of the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement by federal and state governments is a recipe for industrial crisis in Nigeria’s public universities,” it said.
“In the same vein, withholding the three-and-half months’ salaries and third-party deductions by the government is an ill-wind for lasting peace on our campuses.”
The union added: “ASUU-NEC resolved to notify all concerned that the Union may activate its suspended strike action without any further notice if the critical issues raised in this release are not speedily addressed.”
By Nick Ibe, Abuja
Nigerian universities have been asked to stop issuing admission letters to candidates seeking admission into their various institutions. The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB insists that such act was not within their mandate.
Stating this was JAMB registrar, Prof. Segun Aina, while receiving a delegation from Veritas University, Bwari, Abuja, which paid him a courtesy visit in his office.
The registrar pointed out that JAMB is the only body statutorily empowered to issue official admission letters to candidates seeking entry into all tertiary institutions in Nigeria, including universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
Prof. Aina stated that the irony of the situation is that once candidates see a document as emanating from an institution purporting to offer them admission, they believe that it is real.
He, therefore, charged universities guilty of this ignoble act to desist, adding that they also have the responsibility of ensuring that those candidates obtain the right documents from the board.
Furthermore, he referenced the Federal Ministry of Education’s explicit stand that all admissions be conducted through the Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) and that anything done contrary to that is illegal and invalid.
As a result, no institution is permitted to substitute its own letters for the official JAMB admission letter issued by the board after a candidate had accepted his admission on CAPS.
He added that it is only admission offered through this platform is recognised and would be accepted for the purpose of mobilisation for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), among others.
By Vincent Tyosuugh
Two academic institutions, Orenda Opal Schools have been closed by the Benue State Government over alleged textbook policy violation which allows students to reuse old text books or source them from the open market.
Giving reasons for the seal, the Benue Education Quality Assurance and Examinations Board, BEQAEB, said its action followed petitions from parents that their wards were forced to buy textbooks from the schools and that their assignments were not being marked for not buying the prescribed textbooks from the schools. It further pointed to failure of the school proprietor and administrators to honour an invitation to address the complaints.
The board’s Executive Secretary, Dr Terna Francis, led officials of its Directorate of Enforcement and Compliance to the schools, where a court order authorising the sealing of the premises was served on the proprietor before the facilities were locked.
According to a statement issued by the board’s Information Officer, Jeffrey Adzam, on Thursday, the government’s policy allows parents to reuse textbooks previously purchased for older children.
“Parents are also permitted to obtain textbook lists from schools and purchase the required books from bookstores outside the schools.”
However, the board alleged that the affected schools insisted that parents must purchase textbooks directly from them, contrary to the new policy.
Francis said the board received reports that some pupils whose parents had paid their school fees but could not afford the prescribed textbooks were subjected to punitive treatment, including having their homework left unmarked.
The statement added that some parents who had already bought the books from external vendors alleged that the schools refused to allow their children to use them during the current academic session.
According to the board, the parents were told to either purchase new textbooks directly from the schools or withdraw their children and enrol them elsewhere.
BEQAEB further alleged that pupils were barred from bringing textbooks bought outside the schools into their classrooms, leaving some of them demoralised.
“Dr Francis described the alleged practices as unacceptable and inconsistent with the protection of learners’ rights and welfare under applicable laws in Benue State and Nigeria.
“He explained that the government’s policy was intended to provide flexibility for parents, promote the reuse of textbooks where appropriate and prevent schools from imposing unnecessary restrictions that undermine the interests of learners and their families,” the statement said.
He said the board had invited the proprietor and school administrators to a meeting to resolve the complaints, but they turned it down.
According to the statement, the board subsequently approached the court through the Benue State Attorney-General and obtained an order authorising the sealing of the school premises.
The proprietor, Onyinye Okoye, allegedly led members of staff to attack Francis and his team after the court order had been served.
The statement said the incident involved verbal assaults on the officials and the destruction of an official vehicle belonging to the board.
The board condemned the reported incident, saying disputes with regulatory authorities should be resolved through lawful channels rather than violence or intimidation.
It said the schools would remain sealed until their proprietors and administrators met its conditions, complied with government regulations and demonstrated a commitment to protecting the rights of pupils and parents.
“He urged parents and guardians whose children experience similar forms of alleged victimisation or violations of government education policies to submit formal petitions to BEQAEB, accompanied by relevant evidence.
“He assured the public that such complaints would be investigated and appropriate action taken in accordance with the law,” the statement said.
By Seyi Balogun, Lagos
The emergence of Nigeria’s Overall Best Teacher for 2026 at the Federal Government’s President’s Teachers’ and Schools’ Excellence Awards, Mary Oluwaseun Adebayo, once a private school teacher, shows that where you start in life does not matter.
Adebayo received the national recognition during the 2026 World Teachers’ Day celebration in Abuja, where she was rewarded with a brand-new car as the star prize.
While receiving the car on Teacher’s Day, she expressed gratitude for the recognition, saying she had continued teaching without any inkling that her efforts would earn her such a reward. In her words:
“I started this work in a private school. I kept doing the work, I did not know the Lord will reward me this way.”
From the Best Public Senior Secondary School Teacher category, she went on to emerge the overall best teacher in the country.
For achieving the feat, Nawair-Ud-Deen Grammar School, Obantoko Old Students Association, NUDGOSA, on Friday, congratulated her describing her achievement as a source of pride for the school and its community.
NUDGOSA in a statement signed by the association’s National Public Relations Officer, Sanni Damilola, said her recognition reflected her commitment to teaching and the advancement of education in Nigeria.
It added that her emergence had brought honour to the school, from whose classrooms she rose to national recognition.
“NUDGOSA is particularly proud that one of our own has risen to the pinnacle of the teaching profession in Nigeria.”
The association also said the award was an inspiration to current students, teachers, alumni and the wider school community, noting that it demonstrated how dedication and commitment to service could earn national recognition.
On behalf of the association’s national executive and members, its National President, Hon. Fasiu Bakenne, congratulated Adebayo, the school’s management and staff, and the Ogun State Teaching Service Commission.
Relatedly, a
lawmaker, Nasir Gboyega Isiaka, also congratulated Adebayo, describing her emergence as Nigeria’s Overall Best Teacher as a source of pride for Afon, Imeko-Afon and the wider constituency.
In a congratulatory message on Friday titled, “Celebrating Excellence: Congratulations to Nigeria’s Best Teacher,” Isiaka described Adebayo as an illustrious daughter of Afon, Imeko-Afon, and said her achievement demonstrated the level of excellence within local communities.
He said education remained important to his service to the constituency, adding that investing in education was essential to expanding opportunities for young people.
“Dr. Adebayo’s achievement therefore resonates deeply with the work we have continued to pursue in strengthening education and supporting those who dedicate their lives to it,” he said.
Isiaka said the award had brought honour to Afon, Imeko-Afon and the entire constituency, while wishing Adebayo greater success in her professional service and future endeavours.
The 2026 World Teachers’ Day celebration was held under the theme, “Standing with Teachers: 60 Years of Protecting the Profession, Advancing the Status and Shaping Our Future.”
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