The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, clarified on Thursday in Abuja that the Federal Government “has never signed any binding agreement with ASUU”, emphasizing that what has been circulated as agreements are, in reality, draft proposals. He explained that neither the supposed 2009 nor 2021 documents were formally executed. As he put it, “The 2021 agreement was not executed by the government”, and although “ASUU may have the impression that they have an agreement with us, truthfully, no such agreement was signed.”
Commitment to Sustainable, Constitutionally-Backed Solutions
Addressing journalists amid ASUU’s ongoing protests, Alausa highlighted the administration’s mandate under President Bola Tinubu to deliver education reforms that are “implementable and constitutionally backed.” He made clear that the government will not settle for “bogus or unsustainable agreements”, aiming instead for long-term and realistically actionable outcomes.
In his assurance, Alausa stated:
“We are committed to solving this problem once and for all. What has lingered since the 2009 and 2021 agreements will now be addressed in a sustainable way.”
“The President has made it clear that every promise made to ASUU and Nigerians will be fulfilled truthfully and honestly.”
High-Level Stakeholder Review; Next Steps
A high-level meeting convened on Thursday included key figures such as the Minister of State for Education, the Minister of Labour and Productivity, and the Solicitor-General of the Federation. Permanent Secretaries from the Ministries of Education, Labour, and Justice were also present—alongside leadership from agencies like the NUC, Salaries and Wages Commission, and the Budget Office.
The objective was clear: review ASUU’s proposals line by line, with a technical team tasked to produce a “clean report”. This report will then be forwarded to the Yayale Ahmed-led committee, which is expected to renegotiate the 2009 ASUU/FG agreement.
Alausa reiterated: “We want an agreement where every component is actionable and feasible.” He assured Nigerians, saying, “This government will keep our schools open and ensure our children remain in classrooms.”
Importantly, he underscored that, unlike in previous instances, the Ministry of Justice will now play a significant role to ensure that any agreement aligns with constitutional standards.