Education
The 2009 ASUU Agreement and the FGN’s Endless Broken Promises
The 2009 ASUU Agreement and the FGN’s Endless Broken Promises
When the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) voluntarily signed a historic agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in 2009, there was genuine hope that public universities would be repositioned for global relevance. The pact promised revitalisation funds, improved welfare for lecturers, and a renewed commitment to education as the true foundation of national development.
Fifteen years on, those promises remain unfulfilled. The ink on the agreement may have long dried, but the government’s failure to honour it has left deep scars. Instead of flourishing, Nigerian universities have continued to wither, with ivory towers of learning decaying into ruins of neglect.
The 2009 agreement was not merely a policy paper. It was a solemn covenant. It offered lecturers improved conditions of service, research allowances, and infrastructural development capable of elevating Nigerian universities to compete globally. Yet, successive administrations have treated it casually—like a ceremonial handshake that meant everything at the moment, but nothing afterwards.
Year after year, education is pushed to the margins of the national budget, with allocations falling far below UNESCO’s recommended benchmark. The excuse has always been “scarce resources.” Yet, while government pleads poverty when it comes to funding education, billions are consistently allocated to political offices, motorcades, and other recurrent extravagances.
The greatest tragedy in government’s inaction lies in the human cost. For every strike triggered by insincerity, students lose precious years. A four-year programme drags into six. Parents bear heavier financial and emotional burdens. Many brilliant students and lecturers flee to foreign universities, enriching other nations while Nigeria loses its best brains.
The 2009 agreement has thus become symbolic of a wider Nigerian malaise: plenty of rhetoric, very little action.
ASUU is often vilified for its strike actions, with critics accusing the union of punishing students. But what options remain when government consistently refuses to keep its promises? For ASUU, strikes are never a first choice but a last resort—an alarm bell rung in desperation, in a country where silence is always met with indifference.
Even so, the endless cycle has worn lecturers down. Morale is low, and many have traded chalkboards for better opportunities abroad, leaving behind a system starved of its brightest intellectuals.
Beyond financial excuses, the refusal to honour the 2009 agreement exposes a deeper problem: Nigeria’s chronic undervaluing of education. A nation that fails to invest in its universities cannot hope to build a competitive economy or an innovative society. Instead, it recycles crises, bequeathing broken systems and limited opportunities to its youth.
At this point, it is no longer enough to renegotiate or sign fresh memoranda of understanding. What ASUU needs is sincerity and commitment. Government must begin to view education not as a drain on resources but as the most important investment in the nation’s future. The 2009 agreement must not remain a relic of unfulfilled promises. It must be implemented in full—with urgency and honesty.
The Federal Government’s failure to honour the 2009 ASUU agreement is not just an administrative oversight; it is a national betrayal. Unless education is treated with the seriousness it deserves, the cycle of strikes, broken promises, and wasted futures will continue.
The real victims are not politicians or policymakers, but the poor students whose only dream is to be educated.
By Prof. Mainasara Yakubu Kurfi
Department of Mass Communication, Bayero University, Kano
Email: mykurfi@gmail.com
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Federal Government says it will provide starter packs to graduates of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes as part of efforts to promote skills development and enhance youth employability.
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad disclosed this on Monday during an inspection visit to Bayero University, Kano (BUK), where she assessed ongoing vocational training initiatives supported by the ministry.
She said the initiative was designed to ensure that beneficiaries of the TVET programme become self-reliant, job creators and active contributors to the nation’s economic growth.
According to her, the provision of starter packs will complement the Federal Government’s drive to reduce unemployment and address the persistent skills gap in the country.
“The administration of President Bola Tinubu is committed to strengthening technical and vocational education because it remains a critical pathway to empowering young Nigerians.
“Providing starter packs will enable our youths to put their training into practical use immediately,” she said.
The Minister also commended President Bola Tinubu for approving the programme, which covers about 25 vocational trades, including carpentry, leather works, tailoring, ICT skills, cosmetology, welding, solar installation and other technical areas.
She urged beneficiaries to take full advantage of the initiative, adding that the programme aligns with the administration’s commitment to reducing youth unemployment, promoting self-sufficiency and driving national development.
Ahmad commended BUK for its commitment to implementing the programme, noting that the ministry would continue to partner institutions that promote innovation, productivity and entrepreneurship.
Also speaking, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Haruna Musa, said the programme was timely as the country continued to grapple with low employability, reduced productivity and slow economic growth due to inadequate skills among its youth population.
Represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Ahmad Tsauni, said the programme was designed to equip young Nigerians with practical and entrepreneurial skills that would enhance job creation, innovation and national development.
Musa encouraged participants to take full advantage of the opportunity by learning diligently and transforming themselves into agents of positive change in their communities.
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The newly appointed Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Education, Zaria, Professor Isa Yahaya Bunkure, has called on both academic and non-academic staff to offer their full support as he embarks on a mission to reposition the university for excellence.
Speaking during his inaugural address at the university campus, Prof. Bunkure expressed deep appreciation for the warm reception he received upon assuming office, describing it as overwhelming and a reflection of the unity and optimism that exists within the institution.
“I am truly honored by the trust and confidence placed in me by this great community,” he stated. “I assure you that I will not betray this trust. Together, we will elevate this university to greater heights.”
Highlighting his vision for the institution, Prof. Bunkure revealed that he has developed a series of strategic plans aimed at improving the quality of teaching and learning across all faculties.
A key part of his administration’s agenda, he said, is ensuring the university continues to produce highly competent and qualified teachers capable of transforming Nigeria’s education sector.
In addressing some pressing concerns of students and alumni, Prof. Bunkure noted that the issue of students who have completed their Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) program but have not received their certificates will be given prompt attention.
He assured that a comprehensive audit and review process will be carried out to resolve such cases.
“From now on, any student who successfully completes their examinations and fulfills all institutional requirements will receive their results and certificates without unnecessary delays,” he added.
On the matter of the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and other scholarship initiatives introduced by the Federal Government, Prof. Bunkure pledged that the university administration will ensure transparency and efficiency in the disbursement of such funds.
“We will not hesitate to facilitate the immediate release of funds to all eligible students once the federal government has made the necessary provisions. No student will be left behind due to financial constraints,” he affirmed.
Concluding his remarks, the Vice Chancellor appealed to all staff members to remain committed and united in pursuit of the university’s goals.
“This journey requires the dedication and cooperation of everyone. I call upon both teaching and non-teaching staff to join me in this mission of transformation. Together, we can build a university that is not only respected nationally but admired internationally,” he said.
The address was met with applause and optimism, as many within the university community expressed confidence in Prof. Bunkure’s leadership and vision.
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