Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) – Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) Trade disputes and the advancement of University Education in South-South, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examines ASUU-Federal Government trade disputes and the advancement of university education in Nigeria, a study of Universities in South South Nigeria; University of Port Harcourt, Delta state university and Niger Delta University, 2010-2022. Universities Nigeria has at various times experienced disruption in their academic calendar due to industrial disputes between FGN-ASUU, state government-ASUU or university management. But the goals of tertiary education are fundamental to the building of a productive society, through the ground work for excellence expertise, research and release technological breakthrough, but universities education have suffered setbacks from strikes, leading to loss of man hours in teaching and learning. Scholars have contended that trade disputes have tremendously affected the fabrics of the university system and the productivity of the Nigerian economy. Others have argued that trade unions have become veritable tools and important agents of quality education and socio-economic transformation. It is based on this that the study investigates ASUU/FGN disputes in Universities. The study is be guided by three main objectives. First to identify the causes of the protracted trade disputes between FGN-ASUU, secondly, to evaluate the positive effects of disputes on the advancement on infrastructural development and the third to examine the effect on quality education. To achieve the objectives, the study employs the Hegelian Dialectics theory as its explaining framework for analysis. Data from primary sources generated from questionnaires and was complemented with focus group discussion for this study. The responses from the field work through questionnaire are presented in simple frequency distribution, tables and the quantitative data are analyzed using SPSS statistical tool. The findings show and ascertain that industrial disputes between FGN-ASUU is a blessing in Nigeria Universities’ as result of establishment of Tetfund and the massive infrastructural advancement and others for qualitative education. The recommend among others government must budgetary allocation to 26% bench mark and abide by the agreements signed with ASUU