By Ugochukwu Alaribe

ABA—The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, said its attention has been drawn to the contentious provisions in the 2016 budget estimates on education and urged the Federal Government to properly fund the Polytechnic sub-sector.

ASUP accused the Federal Government of using Polytechnics as “guinea pigs” to test-run anti people policies in the education sector and breach of agreements entered into with the government.

In a statement signed by ASUP’s National Publicity Secretary, Chris Nkoro, the Union lamented that despite the lion share status provisions allocated to the education sector in the budget, there is little to suggest that the federal government is committed to improve the sector.

“ Revelations from the 2016 budget estimates show a total reversal of the gains contained in both the 2010 agreement and the 2013/2014 struggles of the Union. Personnel emoluments contained in the budget have been slashed to the extent of removal of all earned allowances of teaching staff of Nigerian Polytechnics and Monotechnics contrary to the agreements signed and implemented since 2010. The CONTISS 15 salary structure has equally been discontinued in the budget. This is despite worrying reports of N10 billion padding in the budget for education.