The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has suspended its three-week strike deadline following a fresh agreement with the Federal Government.
In the fresh parley involving the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed and Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, at the behest of House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila yesterday in Abuja, the government is to release N30 billion of the N220 billion tranche of the 2009 revitalisation fund of the universities at the weekend.
Also to be considered is the union’s Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) standing at N22 billion to prevent future strikes. ASUU President, who had issued the strike notice, was faulted by the minister, who claimed a N1.3 trillion liability by the dons.
Besides, the University of Lagos (UNILAG) has suggested how to unlock and enhance innate creativity in university administration. Former registrar, Dr. Taiwo Folashade Ipaye, yesterday, at the launch of the maiden ‘SUSSURRI’- Our Voice Magazine, at College of Medicine University of Lagos (CMUL), Idi-Araba, said one of the major challenges of creativity in the present university administration was lack of professionalism.
Ipaye said: “There is no public accountability and no clear understanding of rules and regulations, including code of conduct which includes ethic guiding. Again, there is a disturbing tolerance and fostering of corrupt practices in the institution.”
Ipaye, who proffered solutions by advising that Nigerians should invest in buying and reading books, added: “We need to constantly increase our command of the spoken English language. Learn how to make use of appropriate computer software that is relevant to our field. Go beyond what is expected to enhance our creativity, evaluate and re-design our mode of product or service delivery. Teamwork and critical thinking that involves tasking our brain. Also, networking skills like knowing what your colleague are doing by checking their working places and knowing what they do differently.”
She also talked about the role of technology in improving creativity in administration by reiterating the use of various social media in interacting with students by the university administration. “
She added: “On another level, we should endeavour to improve our relationship with stakeholders in the system, including the students without whom there will be no university. We cannot run away from the fact that without students, we will be redundant, let’s treat them as our customers and partners. The job is not just for the vice-chancellors and academics alone, we are all stakeholders. We must all work together to achieve the institutional strategic goals and objectives such that our graduates are equipped with the needed skills and competencies to make a difference in the 21st Century. “We must, therefore, willingly key into the move to further incorporate artificial intelligence into the administration of our universities.
“My charge to us is that, in order to unlock and enhance your creativity, you must develop a reading culture, a thirst for knowledge and a desire to do things better. Remember, every work is a self portrait of the person who did it, autograph your work with excellence.”
