EDUCATION Absenteeism puts UNIZIK lecturers under spotlight

The authorities of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, have said that any lecturer who fails to attain at least 75 per cent attendance for lectures should be ready to forfeit his one month salary.

The institution also said it would withhold the salaries of lecturers who fail to submit results a month after examinations were conducted.

These decision came against the heels of series of complaints by students of the institution over the nonchalant attitude of the lecturers to their responsibilities which had resulted in poor performance in the results.

Speaking to newsmen during the just concluded 11th convocation ceremony, the Vice- Chancellor of the university, Prof. Joseph Ahaneku, said the decision which had already taken effect, was targeted at restoring sanity in the system.

He said the era of students coming back to school a month after resumption was over as lecturers were meant to be at their duty to ensure students measure up to the attendance requirement to qualify for examinations.

“To be sure that 75 percent attendance are kept to enable students have the full benefit of receiving lectures, all lecturers are expected to be in school and to commence studies as soon the school resumes,” he added.

Ahaneku said that delay in the release of results often exposed both the students and the lecturers to undue temptation, including favoring students who comply with their demands and victimizing those not in their good books.

The vice chancellor, said the measures had so far yielded much dividends as lecturers are now forced to finish marking their scripts for onward submission within the stipulated time.

“Anytime we are through with examinations, the teachers are on their toes. If you don’t submit your results, you don’t have salaries for that month. And if your salary is withheld, it would take some time to get it in view of the processes involved.

“You have to explain through writing and no lecturer would want that kind of inconvenience. That is why as soon as school resumes, the lectures are already at their duty post,” he stated.

He said the constitution of a monitoring team made up of nine senior academics to ensure strict compliance both during lectures and examination periods.

“We also do team teaching where two lecturers who are not friends would teach a particular course which also assists in minimizing favouritism and remove any form of shortchanging,” he added.

A lecturer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said as commendable as the measures might be, the vice- chancellor must be wary in the implementation in view of the peculiarity of the system.

“University is an institution where people should be allowed to exercise their freedom. He should be aware of that,” he said.

In his reaction, the Chairperson, Academic Staff Union of Universities, UNIZIK chapter, Dennis Aribodor, said the union was in full support of the policy.

“Our union stands to protect the welfare of our members. Much as the union would not want to lose their salaries for a job done, as a principled and responsible union of intellectuals, we don’t condone complacency.

“Part of our conditions is that we shall deliver on our mandate as at when due. We also believe that the students should know their performance after examinations.

“So we encourage our members to stick to the one month release of results after examinations guideline as anything contrary would put the students in a disadvantaged position which negates our aim,” he said.

He said lecturers are working too much due to paucity of manpower which sometimes resulted to their inability to meet up deadline.

“Where their reasons are cogent and justifiable, like a lecturer making not less than 500 scripts manually, the union has a way of protecting them. In such situations, there should be a balance between deadline and health,” he added.