Oyo college of education staff seek state intervention over ‘salary arrears, poor facilities’

Staff of the Oyo State College of Education, Lanlate, have asked the government to take urgent action to address their demands regarding the ongoing warning strike.

According to the workers, the strike, which began four weeks ago, will not be suspended if Seyi Makinde, Oyo  governor, does not address the issues of poor facilities and salary arrears.

The college is one of the state-owned tertiary institutions that have been on strike for the past four weeks.

Speaking at a media briefing over the weekend, Samuel Kolawole, chairman of the Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) in the school, said the school lacks basic facilities that will promote learning and make students and staff comfortable.

He also said the teaching and non-teaching staff of the school have not been paid their arrears accrued from consequential adjustment on minimum wage.

“We informed the state governor during his one-day official visit to the college in February that the entire members of staff in the college are groaning in pains as the college management and governing council owe them arrears of annual increment for 2016 to 2021,” he said.

“We are the only institution in the state where 2020 promotion is yet to be implemented, while 2021 promotion exercise is also yet to be completed as against what happens in other five tertiary institutions owned by the state. We also have unpaid 16 months arrears of hazard and medical allowances.

“Most members of staff in the college often sit under the trees as makeshift offices. There is no single toilet facility for staff and students, as everyone uses the bushes around as toilet.

“The students are also suffering because of inadequate lecture halls and there is no standard library in the college.”

Kolawole also said some of the courses in the college are yet to be accredited by the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) since 2016 when the college was granted autonomy.

While appealing to the governor to give the school the same attention he is giving to Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Kolawole said the union will embark on an indefinite strike if the issues raised are not addressed.