Federal College of Education Lecturers Protest 6 Years Unpaid Allowances

(FAQs) about the situation:

Why are lecturers protesting at the Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze?

Lecturers at the college are protesting over unpaid allowances and welfare issues that have reportedly remained unresolved for several years.

According to the chairman of the institution’s COEASU chapter, Dr Churchill Okonkwo, the management has failed to settle several financial obligations, including:

TETFUND intervention allowances unpaid since 2016
Teaching Practice (TP) mobilisation allowances unpaid since 2018
Outstanding degree programme honorarium

The union also claims that lecturers often use their personal funds to supervise teaching practice because the college has not reimbursed them for official duties.

What action has the lecturers’ union taken?

The union leadership, through COEASU, recently declared a three-week warning strike against the management of the college.

Dr Okonkwo advised parents to temporarily withdraw their children and wards from the institution during the strike period in their own interest.

He further warned that any lecturer who participates in examinations during the strike period may face disciplinary action from the union, while monitoring teams would ensure compliance with the strike directive.

What other concerns did the lecturers raise about the college?

Apart from unpaid allowances, the lecturers raised concerns about poor welfare conditions and deteriorating facilities within the institution.

Some of the issues mentioned include:

Poor environmental sanitation across the campus
Overgrown grasses and poorly maintained surroundings
Lack of clean sanitary facilities
Insufficient teaching materials such as pens, markers, and files
Departments being required to purchase and fuel their own generators for academic activities

The lecturers also alleged that during recent accreditation exercises, Heads of Departments and Deans had to spend personal funds, with some still awaiting reimbursement.

What is the response from the college management?

The provost of the institution, Dr Tessy Okoli, rejected the allegations made by the lecturers.

She accused the union members of attempting to incite students and create unnecessary panic on campus.

Dr Okoli also cautioned students not to get involved in the dispute and warned that students who fail to participate in ongoing examinations due to the crisis would bear the consequences themselves.

How could this dispute affect students?

The ongoing disagreement between lecturers and management may have significant implications for students.

If the strike continues:

Academic activities could be disrupted
Examinations and lectures may be delayed
The academic calendar could be affected

The lecturers have also argued that keeping students in school when academic activities are halted would be unfair to both students and their parents.

✅ Conclusion

The dispute between lecturers and the management of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Umunze highlights growing concerns about staff welfare, unpaid allowances, and governance in Nigerian colleges of education.

While the union insists that its protest is necessary to address long-standing grievances, the college management maintains that academic activities should continue without disruption.

The outcome of the conflict will likely depend on dialogue and resolution between the lecturers’ union and the institution’s leadership.