ASSESSMENT OF EFFECT OF ASUU INDUSTRIAL CONFLICT ON ACADEMIC INFRASTRUCTURE IN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA, NSUKKA
ABSTRACTThe need for academic infrastructure has been issues of public concern with the emergence of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). For more than thirty years in the history of Nigerian University system, ASUU have persistently drawn the attention of the Nigerian government to the challenge of academic infrastructures faced by the universities through industrial conflicts, negotiations and strikes. To overcome this challenge, ASUU entered a comprehensive agreement with the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) in 1992 and another in 2009 which included the provision of standard educational facilities in the universities among others. In spite of this effort, the non implementation of the agreement by the FGN over the years has resulted in the employment of strikes by ASUU when bargaining and consultation failed to yield desired result. The objectives of this study are to : assess the extent to which ASUU industrial conflict has affected classroom/ lecture theatre, ICT/ library, and laboratory/workshop/studio facilities in UNN, Enugu, for the period 2007-2017, with a view to ascertain whether ASUU industrial conflict has improve the provision of academic infrastructure in UNN, Enugu. This study adopted survey research design. The target population for this study is the academic and management staff of University of Nigeria nsukka. Taro Yamane (1967) formula for deriving sample size was used to arrive at the appropriate sample size of 376 respondents. The data collected for this study were analysed using the combination of inferential and -descriptive statistics techniques. Simple linear regression was used to test and interpret the hypotheses with the help of statistical package for social science (SPSS 20.0) and also for data coding, data screening and other preliminary analysis. University management staff and some ASUU officials were interviewed through unstructured interview. The findings from the study revealed that ASUU industrial conflict has significantly contributed to the expansion, construction and renovation of lecture theatres, laboratories as well as ICT/library facilities which contribute directly to the teaching and learning process. The hypotheses tested indicated that a significant relationship existed (0.000) between ASUU industrial conflict and classroom/ lecture theatre in UNN, Enugu. The relationship between ASUU industrial conflict and ICT /library was positively insignificant (0.119). The relationship between ASUU industrial conflict and laboratory/workshop/studio facilities was positively significant (0.000) This study recommends that the Federal Government of Nigeria should endeavour to implement the 2009 agreement reached with ASUU. This would help to revitalise the University system.
The study concludes that there is obvious deficit in academic infrastructural needs of UNN, Enugu which is undermining effective teaching and learning prior to Presidential intervention. Consequently, ASUU effort to pressurising for presidential intervention on academic infrastructural development of the Nigerian university system is imperative.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Academic infrastructures are essential for the provision of standard education. They are material resources that enhance teaching and learning thereby making the process of acquiring education meaningful and purposeful. In Nigerian universities, to harness and utilize these infrastructures often require drawing the attention of the Nigerian government to this necessity through industrial conflicts, negotiations, and strikes by organized union.
Industrial conflict has been observed to be in existence in all human organizations and the university being a centre of learning, with diverse needs is not an exception. In every organization where employees and employers of different backgrounds and interest in a collective effort towards achieving a set goal, conflict is bound to occur. Ahmed,(2014) opined that workers throughout the world are alike in the sense that they desire recognition; satisfaction; fair wages and salaries; job securities; redress of wrongs and good working conditions, but often time, the employer and the union representing workers find themselves in sharp disagreement. Such frictions or disagreement give rise to industrial disputes and strikes.
In the1970s, labour unions became vibrant and active in the Nigerian University system due to the massive expansion of educational institutions during the period and the need for the staff to effectively run their increased academic and administrative responsibilities (Jega in Samuel 2018). These staff needed secured tenure, improved conditions of service and protection against employer‟s arbitrariness and overzealousness. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) emerged in 1978 and succeeded the Nigerian Association of University Teachers (NAUT) which was earlier formed in 1965, to provide the platform for an effective articulation of grievances, the protection and defence of basic rights as well as the promotion of University common objectives, needs and aspiration of its members. ASUU was formed at the beginning of the decline in oil boom and funding of universities grew poorer and as a result, ASUU‟s orientation became radical and more concerned with broad national issues. ASUU as stakeholders in university education are interested in improving working conditions of their members and in regulating a wide range of other issues that directly or indirectly affect their members‟ job and working lives by ensuring that certain standards and rules are set with respect to their internal structure and their external relationships with employers and government through collective bargaining which involves joint meetings and deliberations by both the union and the employer.
It is on records that the 1980s saw Nigerian universities as examples of excellence in academia and a pillar on which the nation‟s developmental hope rested. However, contrary to the high expectations of the founding fathers whose vision and dream were to see that Nigerian men and women were equipped with university degrees equivalent to what obtained in Western countries, Nigerian universities have been plagued with conflicts. The past three decades in the history of Nigerian University system have been crisis- ridden with persistent industrial strikes between ASUU and the FGN arising from underfunding of the system, poor wages and conditions of service of academic staff as well as lack of university autonomy and academic freedom among others. But in recent years, the focus has shifted to the development of academic infrastructures in the universities. Academic infrastructures include but not limited to classroom/ lecture theatres, equipped and functional laboratories, furnished staff offices and residential accommodation, information communication technology and other related services. Other facilities include regular power and water supply, good road network and drainage, health facilities as well as consumables (Ahmed, 2012)‟
For teaching and learning to be effectively carried out in a university, there must be adequate learning facilities. But most of the learning facilities which are in the Nigerian universities are obsolete and dilapidated in form such that they cannot meet up with the standard of quality educational system and result in low performance of staff and students academically (Emeji, 2006).
In order to overcome this challenges faced by the universities, ASUU entered a comprehensive agreement with the FGN in 1992 and another in 2009 which included; the provision of standard educational facilities in the universities, fulfilling 26% budgetary allocation to education as prescribed by United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) so that Nigeria education system will be able to turn out graduates that are capable of taking up the task of national development and be globally competitive, improve academic staff conditions of service, salaries and allowances, guaranteed university autonomy and academic freedom among others (FGN / ASUU Agreement 2009).
This was aimed at stimulating conducive atmosphere for students to accomplish their prerequisite curriculum objectives as this would reduce to the barest minimum the half baked graduates that Nigeria universities are turning out. However, the non implementation of this agreement over the years has resulted in the employment of strikes as the last resort by the ASUU when bargaining and consultation failed to yield desired result.
The fact that out of all the related existing studies (Esumeh, 2013, Okuwa and Campell, 2011, Samuel 2018), there is no known study which has focused on the effect of ASUU Industrial conflict on the academic infrastructures justified the effort committed on this study by the researcher to assess the effect of ASUU industrial conflict on the academic infrastructures in UNN, Enugu resulting from ASUU industrial conflict from 2007-2017.
Statement of the Problem
Academic infrastructure is critical to the proper functioning and the development of any educational system and its availability to the student can influence their academic achievement. This is because academic infrastructure serves as pillars of support for effective teaching and learning activities as they are the basic physical and organizational structures needed for successful running of
the institutions. The classroom is to provide a stimulating safe learning environment that will motivate staff and improve the academic achievement of student, while the primary function of the academic library is to provide full range of information resources and services necessary to carry out the goals and duties of the institution which the library was established to serve. The laboratory is an indispensable organ of the school if effective teaching and learning of science subject is to be achieved because whatever is done in the science laboratory is to obtain or acquire skills that would help to advance scientific knowledge which subsequently would lead to the development of the human society. Therefore, the importance of these infrastructures (i.e student classroom, library and laboratory) cannot be under estimated as any University that lacks these facilities will not be able to achieve the stated objectives.
In the past decades, educational system in Nigeria has contributed greatly to support the nation‟s economy through the provision of qualitative manpower and acquisition of knowledge, skills and values. But achieving this goal in the present day has become a nightmare because the academic infrastructures in the universities are poorly managed, out of use, dilapidated and not conducive for teaching and learning activities. For more than thirty years now, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Federal Government of Nigeria have been in industrial disharmony over the non-implementation of agreements by the Federal Government. The agreements addressed issues of poor conditions of service of academic staff members in government-owned universities; problem of underfunding and infrastructural neglect in the universities; as well as lack of autonomy and academic freedom which ASUU claims, affect the quality of teaching, research and scholarship in the universities.
UNN, Enugu being one of the first generation universities in Nigeria has over times experienced series of conflicts especially conflict between ASUU and the Federal government. Following the establishment of UNN, Enugu in 1962 and the commencement of academic activities thereof, solid academic infrastructures were put in place for classroom, library, laboratory etc, however, historic expansion in school enrolment and school programmes has rendered the facility inadequate for effective teaching and learning. Specifically, with the problem of student enrolment explosion witness in the University, students are faced with overcrowded lecture theatres and classes during lectures and examination periods. The problem of ICT /library facilities in the University includes the predominance of old collections (a near absence of modern books and journals); inadequate computer with limited or no access to internet and e-learning facilities, the inadequate supportive facilities like photocopiers as well as an acute shortage of financial resources to fund the acquisition of books and journals. The university laboratory is faced with the problem of obsolete research equipment, lack of research grants, and inadequate workshop/studio facilities for practical work. All these have affected the quality of learning/ teaching and research activities of the university student‟s and lecturer and consequently the quality of graduates that was turned out.
It is on the basis of the highlighted problems that the researcher sought to assess the academic infrastructures derived by UNN, Enugu resulting from ASUU industrial conflicts from 2007-2017. This is why the following research questions are raised.
1.3 Research Questions
i To what extent has ASUU industrial conflict affected provision of classroom and lecture theatre in UNN, Enugu?
ii. To what extent has ASUU industrial conflict affected provision of ICT and Library facilities in UNN, Enugu?
iii. To what extent has ASUU industrial conflict affected Laboratory/workshop/studio facilities in UNN, Enugu?
1.4 Objectives of the Study
The general objective of this study is to assess the effect of ASUU industrial conflict on academic infrastructure in UNN, Enugu. The specific objectives of this research are to:
i. Assess the extent to which ASUU industrial conflict has affected provision of classroom and lecture theatre in UNN, Enugu.
ii. Examine the extent to which ASUU industrial conflict has affected provision of ICT and library facilities in UNN, Enugu, and
iii. To determine the extent to which ASUU industrial conflict has affected provision of Laboratory/workshop/studio facilities in UNN, Enugu.
1.5 Research Hypotheses
i. There is no significant relationship between ASUU industrial conflict and provision of classroom and lecture theatre in UNN, Enugu.
ii There is no significant relationship between ASUU industrial conflict and provision of ICT and Library facilities in UNN, Enugu.
iii. There is no significant relationship between ASUU industrial conflict and provision of Laboratory/workshop/studio facilities in UNN, Enugu.
1.6 Significance of the Study
Significance of every research is measured by its contributions to knowledge and literature in the subject. This work is relevant to fill the gap observed in the work of Samuel (2018), Akintoye and Uhunmwuangho (2018). Babatope (2010), and others. Samuel (2018), assessed the impact of ASUU industrial strike on the state of learning facilities in Benue state university (1999- 2015). The variables of study in the work are laboratory facilities, library, student‟s hostel facilities, student‟s classroom, staff accommodation. There is gap in the method of analysis which this study promises to fill. Akintoye and Uhunmwuangho (2018) Analysed the Effects of Frequent Strikes on Academic Performance of Students in Universities in Nigeria: Edo State as a Focal Point. There is gap in the variables of interest. Babatope (2010) investigated the problem of learning facilities in southwest Nigerian Universities and the way forward.
The persistent ASUU strikes over the years which paralyses academic activities when embarked upon have been worrisome and many studies have revealed the negative impact of the strike to the students‟ academic performance but very few studies have concentrated on the benefits of ASUU strikes to public universities in Nigeria while no known study have investigated the effect of the ASUU industrial conflict on the academic infrastructures in UNN, Enugu. Therefore, the study brought to light the contributions of ASUU strike in assisting in revitalizing the university system in Nigeria for effective and efficient service delivering. Consequently, this study has both empirical and theoretical significance.
Empirically, the study identifies the extent to which classroom/lecture theatre, ICT/library, and laboratory/workshop/studio facilities were positively affected by ASUU strike in UNN, Enugu.
Theoretically, the industrial relations model by Dunlop (1958) used in this study explain the industrial relations facts and practices. Dunlop (1958) postulate that industrial relations constitutes a sub system overlapping the others, viz, the economic, the political, ice technological socio-cultural etc in the total social system. He went further by admitting that „„an industrial relations system must comprises three groups of actors: the workers and their unions, the employers and their associations; and the government and its agencies concerned with the workplace and work community; certain contexts, namely technology, the market or budgetary constraints, and the power relations and status of the actors. An important aspect of this framework is that it conceives the industrial relations system as self- adjusting towards equilibrium. That is, a change in one element had repercussions for the other elements; and that they are held to set in motion a range of processes that invariably restores a sense of order on the system. The theory is relevant to this study in that it focus on open disagreement between Federal Government (employer) and ASUU (representing the employee) based on unresolved issues and the non implementation of agreement reached. In this respect, industrial action undertaken by ASUU set in motion a range of processes that invariably restores a sense of order on the system.
Lastly, the study stands to be unique in laying the foundation to scholars and students who may want to undertake further studies on the effect of ASUU industrial conflict and related topics.
1.7 Scope and Limitations of the Study
This study was limited to UNN, Enugu and focused primarily on assessment of the effect of ASUU industrial conflict on academic infrastructures from 2007-2017. The variable of interest includes classroom and lecture theatre, ICT and library, and laboratory /workshop/studio facilities. The study focused only on the academic infrastructure based on their importance in achieving the core objectives of the university.
The justification for the choice of the period under review is that during this period, ASUU industrial strike action was very rampant and alarming. Available records indicate that Nigerian universities have spent a cumulative over 21months on strike between 2007 and 2017. In 2007, ASUU went on strike for three months, one week warning strike in 2008, four months strike in 2009, over five months strike in 2010 three months strike in 2011/2012, over five months strike in 2013, and three weeks strike in 2017 (Aidelunuoghene 2014 and Authors compilation).
The study is limited by time, inadequate data, limitation to questionnaire studies and the respondents‟ „sincerity‟ in answering the questions in the instruments. Some of the respondents did not answer all the questions in the instruments; and the failure of some respondents to return copies of the questionnaire.
1.8 Definition of Key Concepts
Certain principal concepts have to be defined for clarity and for better articulation of this work. Also the contextual meanings of the concepts are as well important. Such concepts are as follows:
i. Conflict: A felt struggle between two or more interdependent individuals over perceived incompatible differences in beliefs, values and goals, or over differences in desires for esteem, control and connectedness (Hocker and Wilmont, 2011).
In this study, conflict mean a felt struggle between Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU} and Federal Government (FGN) over perceived incompatible differences in beliefs, values and goals, or over differences in desires for esteem, control and connectedness .
ii. Infrastructure: The basic physical and organisational structures and facilities (e.g. buildings, roads, and power supplies) needed for the operation of a society or enterprise.
In this research, infrastructure refers to the basic physical and organisational structures and facilities (e.g. buildings, roads, and power supplies) needed for the operation of UNN, Enugu.
iii. Academic Infrastructure: According to Asiyai (2012), academic infrastructure is the entire school plant which school administrators, teachers and students harness, allocate and utilize for the smooth and efficient management of the educational institution with the main objective of bringing about effective and purposive teaching and learning experience.
In this study, academic infrastructure refers to the entire school plant which school administrators, teachers and students harness, allocate and utilize for the smooth and efficient management of the educational institution with the main objective of bringing about effective and purposive teaching and learning experience in UNN, Enugu.
CHAPTER TWO
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