The National President of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) Comrade Usman Dutse has urged the Plateau State Government to expedite action on the accreditation of courses at the Plateau State Polytechnic.
Dutse made the appeal at opening of ASUP’s 87th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Jos.
He further called on government to lift the ban on employment in the state, as that would address the manpower deficit being experienced in the Polytechnic.
“Information available to us shows that since 2006 no single academic staff was employed in this Polytechnic, and this is not healthy for an institution of this magnitude,” he added.
The National President also thanked the government for clearing backlog of salary arrears of its members in the state.
He, however, charged government to put efforts to settle the five months outstanding salaries being owned.
Dutse commended the Plateau Government for the peace so far achieved in the state.
“We are happy peace has returned to the state; if it were in the past few years, we wouldn’t have been holding this meeting here,” he said.
Declaring the meeting open, Governor Simon Lalong said his administration had approved the release of N200 million for the accreditation of courses in the State Polytechnic.
Lalong, who was represented by the Director of Research and Documentation, Government House, Prof John Wade, said the approval of the funds was in line with his administration’s commitment to giving tertiary education in state its pride of place.
“We are so passionate about taking the education sector in the state to the desired and enviable height in the country.
“This is why we have approved the release of N200 million to the Polytechnic for the accreditation and re-accreditation of courses at the National and Higher National Diploma levels.
“Let me assure you that in our systematic mode of resource allocation, we will ensure release of the approved funds to enable the completion of the accreditation exercise within the second quarter of 2017,” he assured.
Lalong further said government had also approved the 65-year retirement age for academic staff of all tertiary institutions in the state.
He also pledged that government would as a matter of urgency look into the salary structures of the institutions with a view to harmonising it soonest.
He commended ASUP for the role played in shaping the education sector in the country and urged them to ensure the tempo was sustained.
The Governor also urged delegates to use the NEC meeting to make meaningful deliberations that would further chart way forward for the education sector in the country.
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