Vice Chancellors claim on salaries of chief lecturers is divisive, counterproductive, says COEASU

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By Michael Oche

Colleges Of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) has slammed the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (CVCNU) over its recent clamis that professors in Nigerian Universities earn less than Chief Lecturers in Polytechnics and Colleges of Education

COEASU in a statement by its national president, Dr. Smart Olugbeko cautioned the Vice-chancellors against instigating unhealthy and unnecessary rivalry between ASUU and other unions.

He described the claims as not only divisive and misleading but also potentially counterproductive especially coming at this time when COEASU is renegotiating the welfare of their members with the Government.

He expressed sadness that the comment by the Vice-chancellors has openly revealed the long-harboured prejudice and disdain some university lecturers seem to have for their colleagues teaching and doing research at the Colleges of Education all over Nigeria.

According to him, this is a tendency of casting aspersions on the capacity of Colleges of Education as citadels of learning, adding that ironically, some of these university lecturers are quick to apply for the position of Provost or sabbatical year in the Colleges.

“We enjoin the Vice-chancellors to note that Chief Lecturers in Colleges of Education are equally professional teachers who possess doctorate degree (Phd) which is the highest academic qualification, carry out research, train young minds for national development and engage in impactful community service,” he said.

Olugbeko said furthe, “the action of the Vice-chancellors contravenes the principle of mutual respect and solidarity between our Union and ASUU and the robust support we have shown towards the painful plight of ASUU members which we equally feel as Colleges of Education lecturers suffering the same poor conditions of service and remuneration.”

He however, went on to clarify that the salary structure specifically drawn for the academic staff of polytechnics and Colleges of Education is the CONPCASS, saying that this is not the same with the university CONUASS, in terms of value in accordance with the levels.

He said further, “It also did not, initially, recognize the peculiarities of the College of Education system, in terms of the distinct responsibilities or job-specific functions different from those of others. In other words, the remuneration for peculiar academic allowances for academic staff dissimilar to the general allowances consolidated by National Salaries Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC) was not included.”

The COEASU president explained that it was the agitation of the Union which culminated into the endorsement of the FGN-COEASU 2010 Agreement paved the way for the inclusion of Peculiar Earned Academic Allowances (PEAA) in monthly salary as a non-consolidated benefit, adding that this is another distinguishing factor between the salary of the academics of universities and Colleges of Education.

“It is, therefore, quite evident that the Colleges of Education are not being paid the same salaries of universities let alone are Chief Lecturers’ salaries above those of Professors. It is, however, expedient to further clarify that what the government has done over the years has been to calibrate the salary structure of tertiary institutions staff by implementing the rate(s) of increase of emoluments across board for the appropriate staff of all tertiary institutions, Colleges of Education, Polytechnics, and universities,” the statement noted.

Dr Olugbeko noted that the question of comparison, which is irrelevant, in the strict context of the systems.

He said, “This is underscored by the fact that emoluments are relative to quite a number of factors among which are the amount of time, nature of work, and national policy or welfare agenda of a state. In the circumstances, notwithstanding the foregoing, it is instructive to state that relativity consideration in wages determination is not an aberration.”