The College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), South -West Zone, has urged its members to shun hooliganism tendencies and unnecessary excesses in the course of agitations and unionism.
Mr Olusegun Lana, COEASU, South-West Zonal Secretary, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Friday.
He spoke on the sidelines of the 50th South -West Zonal Delegates Congress at the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED), Ijanikin, Lagos, on Friday in Lagos.
NAN reports that the Congress for all the Zonal Chapter Chairmen and Secretaries commenced from April 3 to April 5.
Lana said that hooliganism was no longer a veritable tool for negotiation in the present age, which was knowledge and technologically-driven.
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“We are teachers and teachers are pace setters and one major thing that education achieves is that it redefines your personality and makes you tolerant.
“This, as teachers, we should reflect in the way we conduct union business and in the spirit of the disposition of our national leadership, we have been exposed to adopting what is called symbiotic relationship with our college managements.
“The symbiotic relation is a union interaction that is constructive because even if you fight or go on strike action, everything will eventually end on the round table. So why not just from the beginning sit on the round table to resolve issues,’’ he said.
Lana said the union, however, expected that management of the various colleges would respect the disposition of the union by opening up for dialogue, ensure a bargaining culture and do the needful as and when due.
He said in a situation where the management fails to reciprocate the union’s disposition, strike action and agitation in various ways, as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution would be embarked upon.
“As we speak, strike actions are ongoing in some of our chapters, while notices of strike actions have been issued in some others.
“Although, this is not a preferred option, management and the government, seem to sometime leave us with no other option when they fail to respond to appeal, entreaties, collective bargaining and fulfil duly-signed agreements,’’ he said.
Lana said the delegates at the 50th congress had, however, reviewed the situation, regarding not only the welfare of its members but the standard and quality of services delivered.
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The zonal secretary said the union identified key areas such as culture of research, assurance of quality and some national agitations that bothered on improving the standard of teachers’ education in Nigeria; such as granting degree-awarding status to Colleges of Education.
He also listed the implementation of the Needs Assessment conducted by the Federal Government recently to improve facilities across the colleges.
“All these issues that are pertinent in upgrading of the colleges and the challenges confronting the members and 14 chapters across the zone were examined and discussed and we have re-strategised toward achieving them,’’ Lana said.
Mr Ige Ajayi, COEASU Chairman, AOCOED, in his address, appreciated the union officials for their attendance and the College Governing Council, Provost and Management team for their support to the union.
Ajayi said while the challenges of unionism were very overwhelming, the steadfastness which should keep all the stakeholders going was the love and passion to improve the system, the college community and passion.
“Oour union is not unawares of many challenges being faced and with the support of our congress, all will be addressed as they surfaced,” he said.
Dr Ladele Aina, Provost, AOCOED, in her address, said the college identified with the union and was willing to give its support.
Aina thanked the union for their involvement to ensure that all the 36 programmes offered in the college were recently given full accreditation by the National Board of Technical Education (NBTE).
She promised that the college management would be committed to quality teachers’ education and urged the union officials, who were majorly senior staff not to relent in mentoring the junior staff.
According to her, the junior staff will eventually succeed the seniors and so you must also make yourselves available to be mentored.
NAN reports that at the congress, the union unveiled the 2018 edition of the Teachers’ Education South-West Journal to promote academic culture and research. (NAN)
