LAGOS – Members of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Yaba College of Technology Chapter, on Tuesday resumed work after five months strike.
The National Executive Council of the union had on Saturday in Abuja announced the suspension of ASUP over 10 months strike.
Mr Adeyemi Aromolaran, the ASUP Chairman, Yabatech Chapter, told NAN that members of the union resumed work following the directive from the national body.
Aromolaran charged members of the union to double their efforts to make-up for the time lost during the strike.
“We will make sure we double our efforts and cover the syllabus for the period.
“That is the assurance we have for our students and the management.
“Our members have complied with the directive of the national body to suspend the strike.
“We went on strike on the orders of the national body, and the union has suspended the strike for three months for us to continue to negotiate with the government.
“So, let us give the new minister the benefit of doubts as requested by him,’’ he said. Aromolaran said that the union had met with the management of the institution, adding that academic activities would commence soon.
“We do not expect students to just rush in like that; they need to be formally invited back to school.
“The school was shut down for five months; management will need to put some things in place before inviting the students back.
“We have met with the management; they will announce the resumption date soon; you do not expect them to just rush things,’’ the chairman said.
A NAN correspondent who monitored activities on the campus reports that students were trooping in with their luggage in the early hours of the day.
NAN reports that the excited students were seen exchanging pleasantries with friends, and gathered in groups to discuss the development.
Mr Charles Oni, the institution’s Spokesman, told NAN that the institution had resumed for the 2013/2014 academic session and that lectures would commence immediately.
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Oni said that the suspension of the strike was a great relief to the management and students. According to him, the institution will maintain its 17-week academic calendar.
“Everybody is happy that the institution is resuming; we have lost a semester already; everybody is eager that work starts immediately.
“We were at the verge of starting a new session when the strike started, and we are five months behind in the semester.
“Once a semester is lost, there is nothing we can do than to re-package our academic calendar.
“In a short while, the academic board will be invited to repackage the college calendar.
“We must maintain the 15 weeks of lectures; one week for registration and one week for examination,’’ he said.
Reacting to the suspension of the strike, some of the students told NAN that they were full of joy to be back on campus.
Miss Tosin Robbin, an HND1 Business Administration student, urged the Federal Government to prevent a recurrence of the strike.
“I am very happy to be back on campus; I was already frustrated sitting at home; so, I went to learn bead-making,’’ Robbin said.
Miss Mary Tijani, an ND1 Industrial Maintenance Engineering student, commended ASUP for suspending the strike.
Tijani, who spent the last five months learning how to sew clothes, said that she was happy at the suspension of the strike.
“I am very happy that the strike has been suspended. It is not a good experience to stay at home doing nothing; it was frustrating,’’ he said.
A photographer in the institution, Mr John Isaac, said that the long strike had adversely affected his business.
“I am happy that students are back; my business will experience a boost again,’’ he said. (NAN)
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