The plan by the Federal Government to lay off teachers teaching in primary schools owned by its universities has been generating reactions as the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has threatened to paralyse activities at the universities, if the decision is not reversed.
The Chairman of SSANU in Unilorin, Adeleke Alfanla, made this threat at a protest held at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State.
The South-West branch of SSANU wondered why agencies like the military are allowed to operate primary and secondary schools from their budget while the universities would not be allowed.
They called for the resignation of the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius Okoje, for being part of the plot to sack the teachers.
University of Ilorin Primary School is one of the 24 schools being operated by Federal Universities across the country and the school’s teachers joined in the protest around the university premises to express their anger.
They stated that an agreement had been signed with the government six years ago for the total funding of the schools to be from the university’s budget. They wondered how a circular will now be issued categorising them as ghost workers.
The SSANU Chairman, Adeleke Alfanla, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the matter to guard against collapse of the education sector, warning that federal universities will be grounded if the decision is not changed.
