“Nigeria is a federation, therefore all issues that fall within the competence of the State Universities’ Councils and Senate should be left to these organs to execute.”
COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE 60TH QUARTERLY MEETING OF THE PRO-CHANCELLORS OF STATE-OWNED UNIVERSITIES ON 13TH JUNE, 2023 AT ABUJA
The Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities in Nigeria (COPSUN) at the end of its 60th Quarterly meeting held at Abuja, FCT discussed the State of the Nation particularly the advent of a new administration among others and resolved as follows:
1. STUDENT LOAN BILL
COPSUN commends President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for assenting to the Access to Higher Education Act as part of his first assignment on resumption of office. Stating that the resuscitation of the Students Loan is a good step in the right direction, the Pro-Chancellors say that the education palliative will be a big relief to poor parents as it will help to cushion the effect of the economic hardship in the country and the world in general.
It urges the new administrations at both the Federal and State levels to go further to improve on the budgetary allocation to the education sector, while rebuilding the infrastructural facilities in the universities.
2. INAUGURATION OF THE NATIONAL AND STATE ASSEMBLIES
COPSUN heartily congratulates all the members of the National and State Assemblies on the inauguration of the different Assemblies while urging that the members should see their elections as special call in the service of the country rather than the service of the individuals’ economic well-being and personal gains.
3. RESTORATION OF STUDENTS BURSARY
While felicitating with State Governors and State Houses of Assembly, COPSUN admonishes that they should draw inspiration from President Tinubu’s admirable action in assenting to the Access to Higher Education Act to improve on their funding of education and institute a more robust bursary scheme for the benefit of indigent students in their various states.
4. AUTONOMY OF STATE UNIVERSITIES
The Committee reiterates the importance of University autonomy and calls on all relevant governments and authorities to respect and uphold the principle of autonomy as enshrined in the enabling laws of the Universities.
The Pro-Chancellors view with concern the unhealthy practice where organs and officials of the Federal Government pass instructions and directives to State Universities without due regard to their ownership structure and extant laws. Nigeria is a federation, therefore all issues that fall within the competence of the State Universities’ Councils and Senate should be left to these organs to execute.
5. NO WORK, NO PAY RULE
The Committee applauds the recent judgment of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria in Federal Government & Anor v. ASUU where the court upheld the legality of “No Work, No Pay” policy. This supports the long-standing position of COPSUN on the issue and is therefore instructive to all State Universities’ employees that it shall neither condone nor consider any request for salaries or allowances of any worker during a strike action. The Committee advises that it is more decent and rewarding for Unions in educational institutions to approach the court of law for their grievances rather than resorting to self-help and embarking on strike actions with its deleterious effect on stable academic calendar of the Universities.
Mr. Marcus Awobifa
Secretary
COMMITTEE OF PRO-CHANCELLORS OF
STATE-OWNED UNIVERSITIES (COPSUN).