The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has backtracked on his earlier comments regarding the long-standing agreement between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
He has now clarified that the 2009 FG-ASUU agreement remains valid and legally enforceable.
Alausa made this clarification in a statement released on Friday, following the backlash that trailed his remarks to journalists in Abuja on Thursday.
At that briefing, the minister had dismissed ASUU’s insistence on the 2009 agreement, saying it was only a draft document and not a signed deal. His comments immediately drew criticism from the university lecturers’ union, which accused him of misleading the public.
In his latest statement, the minister admitted that the 2009 agreement, along with subsequent discussions in 2011, still stands in principle.
He explained, however, that while the documents continue to guide negotiations, some parts of them were not formally signed but were recommendations made during government-union talks.
The 2009 FG-ASUU agreement has been at the centre of several industrial disputes over the years.
ASUU has consistently accused the Federal Government of failing to fully implement its provisions, which include improved funding for universities, better welfare packages for lecturers, and upgraded facilities across tertiary institutions.
These disagreements have often led to prolonged strikes, disrupting academic calendars nationwide.
With this clarification, observers say the Federal Government may now have to revisit the terms of the agreement with ASUU to prevent another round of industrial action.
The minister assured that the government remains committed to engaging with the union to resolve lingering issues in the education sector.