ASUP: Polytechnics Under ASUP, History of ASUP, and More
What is ASUP and Why was it Established?
Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) was founded to fulfill the following objectives:
- To bring together all academic staff from Nigeria’s polytechnics, monotechnics, and
- To encourage its members to take an active role in the advancement of Nigeria’s technology, education and commerce.
- To advance, promote, and demand that its members be provided with adequate working circumstances.
- To pursue additional goals that are legal and do not conflict with the spirit of Nigerian trade unionism.
- To work with the Federal and State governments to establish a culture of good governance in order to achieve the goals of Nigerian Polytechnic/Monotechnic education.
- To enhance and encourage its members’ education and training.
- Collaborating with other organizations and unions that have similar goals.
- To achieve and maintain a high level of academic achievement as well as professional and technological competence.
- To provide beneficial service(s) to its members.
History of ASUP Strikes in Recent Years
In November 2017, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) announced that they would commence ‘a total and comprehensive indefinite’ strike. Their decision was reached due to the failure of the federal government to meet the outstanding agreement.
ASUP, however, suspended the strike fifteen days later. This is because the federal government agreed to put the recommendations of the 2014 NEEDS assessment into action.
The agreement stressed the importance of increased funding for polytechnics.
On the 12th of December, 2018, ASUP began a nationwide strike as they joined university lecturers who had been on strike for more than a month.
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic’s president revealed that the federal government did not meet the polytechnic lecturers’ demands.
The president announced that the strike would be ‘total and indefinite.’
In June 2021, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) declared a strike unless the federal government complies with its demands.
In a nine-point demand, the body sought, among other things, the adoption of a new remuneration plan, the revitalization of polytechnics, the establishment of a national commission for polytechnics, the implementation of a new national minimum wage, and the payment of arrears.
After that, ASUP suspended its sixty-five (65) days industrial strike.
This followed an agreement that was reached between the federal government and the union.
The National Publicity Secretary of ASUP, Mr. Abdullahi Yalwa, said regarding the suspension:
“The suspension is for a period of three months to enable the government complete the execution of the items contained in the Memorandum of Action signed with the Union from 27th April, 2021.”
The union expects that the suspension of the strike would create an enabling climate for the government to complete other parts of the memorandum.
Has ASUP Helped in Improving the Educations Standards?
ASUP has helped in improving the education standards in several ways. ASUP seeks for the revitalization of polytechnics, the implementation of a new minimum wage, the adoption of a new remuneration plan, and a host of others.
List of Polytechnics Under ASUP
The following are the polytechnics under the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP):
Federal Polytechnic, Bida
Federal Polytechnic Ado Ekiti
Federal Polytechnic Offa
Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa
Federal Polytechnic Bauchi
Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic Unwana
Federal Polytechnic Ede
Federal Polytechnic Oko
Federal Polytechnic Idah
Auchi Polytechnic
Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna
Federal Polytechnic Bali
Federal Polytechnic Ilaro
Federal Polytechnic, Daura
Federal Polytechnic Ekowe
Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashikwu
Rivers State Polytechnic, Bori
Federal Polytechnic Damaturu
Yaba College of Technology
Federal Polytechnic of Oil and Gas Bonny
Federal Polytechnic Kaltungo
Federal Polytechnic Ile-Oluji
Federal Polytechnic Mubi
Federal Polytechnic Kaura Namoda
National Institute of Construction Technology Uromi
Portharcourt City Polytechnic, Portharcourt
Airforce Institute of Technology (AFIT)
Waziri Umaru Federal Polytechnic
Petroleum Training Institute Effurun
Nigerian Army Institute of Technology and Environmental Science (NAITES)
Hussaini Adamu Federal Polytechnic
Federal Polytechnic Ukana
Shehu Idris College of Health Science Makarfi
Bauchi State College of Agriculture, Bauchi