From Abdullahi Jalaludden, Kano
The Provost, Federal College of Education (FCE Technical) Bichi, in Kano State, Prof. Bashir Muhammed-Fagge says the management of the college had embarked on a dialogue strategy in ensuring the warning strike embarked by the College’s of Education Academic Staff Union Bichi Branch comes to an end.
The Provost stated this while briefing newsmen in response to allegations made by the academic staff of the College against the management.
Professor Bashir Mohammad Fagge said the Management were on top of the situation to address issues raised by the Union.
He said they were currently on a negotiation table with the union body to resolve the issues amicably.
“there is bound to be disagreement or skirmishes between the employer and employee because the relationship between the duo is usually characterised by these, but it is always an issue of resolving through dialogue”
Reacting on the claims of falling standards of education in the institution, the provost said it was not true.
” When I came onboad as the Provost of the institution, there were only six lecturers with PhD, but today we have over 200″
“The same thing with the infrastructures, there was no single building has not been renovated in the college ,And we have built a new permanent site with five new schools which will be commissioned soon”
The provost further explained that the college under his stewardship have e-library, laboratories, saying the management increased the number of academic staff from 250 to about 750,And students who graduated were trained with skill acquisition to the level that when they graduate they can be self employed.
Professor Bashir Mohammad Fagge said among the issue raised by the Union was cooperative society that the Management was owing them N25 million. Between 2015 and 2016, He said introduction of a Tertiary Single Treasury Account (TSA) was the major reason behind that issue.
“There is also the issue of security and cleaners. All security and cleaners were outsourced. Since 2004, the FG has not been giving money. So what the institution did was to use the internally generated revenue to settle them”
“Unfortunately, with the COVID-19, the school was shut down and the shortfall accrual as it is that the students have not paid their school fees”
He said all issues raised by the union have been tackled by the management, and have no effect on the qualities of students from the institution.
Radio Nigeria Recalled that on April 13, the Chairman, FCET Bichi branch of COEASU, Muhammad Salisu addressed newsmen and announced their decision to embark on a one week warning strike starting from Tuesday.
Salisu said the one week industrial action was to draw the attention of the government to intervene, and also to compel the management of the school to address what he described as poor learning environment and prevailing insecurity among other issues.
Other issues include; non remittance of N25 million outstanding staff multipurpose cooperative society deductions, non payment of 10 months peculiar academic allowance, decay in academic infrastructures and environment.