OAU Kilonshele News Outfit

Abdulbasit Abdulkareem   The Federal Government's pledge made in October 2022 to increase salaries by 35% for academic and 25% for non-academic staff in tertiary institutions across Nigeria is yet to be realized. The then Education Minister, Mallam Adamu Adamu, announced these increments, but the promised improvements have not been materialized, leaving many university employees disillusioned. President Tinubu, a few months ago, directed the payment of four out of the eight months of withheld salaries and the announced salary increments. However, this directive remains unimplemented, adding to the frustrations of the academic community. Fast forward to October 2023, the current Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, declared that payments for the revitalization of tertiary institutions were underway. The Federal Government again, through the National Salaries, Wages, and Income Commission, approved a 35% salary increment for academic staff and 25% for non-academic s...

Abdulbasit Abdulkareem The recent tragedy at the University of Jos, where about 20 lecturers lost their lives due to a severe shortage of manpower, casts a dark shadow over the state of higher education in Nigeria. This incident not only signifies a profound loss of intellectual capital but also highlights the dire consequences of the persistent shortage of lecturers across the nation's universities. Compounding this crisis is the perplexing decision by all Nigerian universities to raise school fees, a move that intensifies financial burdens on students.  These events prompt reflection on the state of education in the country, bringing to light the insightful statement made by the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) during the 16th Convocation lecture at Lead City University, Ibadan. The chairman declared, "Licencing new Universities when existing ones lack funding is criminal." This statement underscores a critical issue: the misalignment ...