The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has decried the politicisation of academic staff recruitment in Nigerian universities, warning that the development is undermining the quality of tertiary education.
The union also criticised the conversion of non-academic staff to academic positions without following due process.
ASUU Zonal Coordinator for the Bauchi Zone, Prof. Timothy Namo, raised the concerns at a press conference held at the University of Jos.
Namo said the long period without recruitment had created serious gaps in the university system, adding that the situation was being worsened by political interference in the employment of academic staff.
He said governing councils were expected to recruit staff based on established criteria, but politicians were now influencing the process.
“Senators, members of the House of Assembly and high-profile politicians would bring in lists of candidates, most of whom would not be qualified to be absorbed as academic staff,” he said.
ASUU President, Prof. Christopher Piwuna, described the development as dangerous to the quality of education in the country.
He said some senior non-academic staff were being moved to the academic cadre without the requisite training and qualifications.
Piwuna stressed that due process must be followed to maintain the standard and effectiveness of the university system.
He also expressed concern over the lack of interaction between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and university lecturers, saying the union had not had an interface with the president for three years.
“It has reached a point as if we are begging to see our president as the body of intellectuals. I think it is the most shameful thing for anybody in government,” he said.
Piwuna urged the federal, state and local governments to redirect their socio-economic policies towards addressing the needs of citizens and prioritise public welfare.
COURTESY: DailyTrust
