The Benin Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has rejected what it described as a “dangerous” move to scrap academic programmes in Nigerian universities, warning that the action could undermine the nation’s higher education system.
Zonal Chairman of the union, Benin Zone, Prof. Monday Igbafen, expressed the union’s concerns while addressing journalists on the 2025 FGN/ASUU Agreement at the secretariat in Benin. He said the attempt to scrap courses deemed “irrelevant” undermines university autonomy and academic freedom.
According to him, “The government unilaterally announced plans to scrap courses deemed ‘irrelevant’, a move that undermines university autonomy and academic freedom, and it would be rejected.”
The ASUU leader was reacting to recent remarks allegedly credited to the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, who argued that some programmes, especially in parts of the social sciences and humanities, were producing graduates with limited employment opportunities, while Nigeria needs more graduates in technology, science, vocational training, AI, agriculture, engineering and entrepreneurship.
Speaking on the implementation of the 2025 FGN/ASUU Agreement, Igbafen said the agreement was formally unveiled on 14 January 2026 by the Federal Government, adding that the unveiling marked what they believed would be the end of years of struggle to renegotiate the 2009 Agreement and secure lasting industrial harmony in the public universities.
Igbafen said solemn promises were made and speedy implementation was expected after the meeting, but regrettably, the Federal Government has revoked on the promises made.
He described their actions as hypocritical because their representatives actively participated in negotiating the agreement.
The ASUU leader further warned that continued disregard for negotiated agreements and collective bargaining could plunge public universities into another round of industrial crisis, stressing that the union would not hesitate to take appropriate action if the government fails to address the outstanding issues.
