Canada: teachers celebrate repeal of anti-labour legislation

For the Canadian Teachers’ Federation, the repeal of the bill, which limited the rights of labour unions, is a major win after an extensive national campaign was launched to end the conservative policy.

“This is wonderful news for democracy and human rights,” said Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF) President Heather Smith. “We applaud the Liberal government for living up to its electoral promise by repealing these anti-labour and undemocratic laws.”

Teacher organisations were among the various labour groups targeted by the Bill, known as C-377, which had been pushed quickly through the House of Commons with little debate and no consultation with labour under the former conservative government. The anti-labour measures triggered the CTF “Hear my voice” advocacy campaign with the goal of strengthening the teacher voice in labour rights.

Education International (EI) General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen expressed satisfaction following the withdrawal of the harmful legislation. 

"At a time when unions around the world are under ideological attack, and when the values teachers and education unions hold dear are being threatened, it is necessary to fight back against anti-union measures and promote freedom of association and collective bargaining for all public servants," he said.

The CTF also rallied to support the Canadian Labour Congress campaign and joined nationwide opposition, including seven provinces who called C‑377 unconstitutional and argued it would cost millions for the federal government to enforce.

source: ei

Increasing workloads taking a toll on Scottish teachers

A combination of staffing cuts, revised curriculum and major changes to the exam system have led to growing wear and tear on teachers, according to a survey conducted by the Educational Institute of Scotland.

The report, published by the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), has found that as teachers begin to breakdown there are signs that pupils’ learning is also poised to suffer. Nine out of ten teachers say that their workloads have increased over the past year, and less than half of those surveyed do not recommend teaching as a career.

The survey was published as standards in Scotland’s schools continue to fall even as Education Secretary John Swinney is preparing further reforms.

“The findings indicate that the pressures on teachers are excessive and growing. A startling 87 per cent of respondents indicated that their workload has increased during the past year – with around a third of all respondents indicating that their workload has increased significantly,” said EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan. “Another major cause for concern, given the teacher recruitment issues across the country, is the fact that fewer than half of those surveyed would currently recommend teaching as a career choice – this is far worse than in our previous survey.”

Flanagan expressed concern with increasing dissatisfaction among the profession, which jumped from 10 to 19 percent, showing that pressure on teachers is “excessive and growing.”

There is also the issue of teacher pay, which has also been falling for over a decade. Flanagan says that salaries are now 16 percent lower in real terms than they were in 2003. If salary levels are not addressed soon the union says that members will take industrial action, with the 2018-2019 being put at risk.

Two Principal Divert Students NECO Registration Money To Personal Account

The Nasarawa State command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) alleged on Thursday that Principals of two secondary schools had diverted NECO fees paid by students.

Its Commandant, Lawan Bashir, told newsmen in Lafia that students of the affected schools – Government Secondary School (GSS) Wakama and GSS Shekkina – did not realise that their fees had been diverted until the examination started.

“It was after the examination started that the candidates knew that they had not been registered.

“Their parents promptly reported the diversion to the Area Inspectorate Offices of Education in the affected locations, who brought the matter to us,” he said.

The commandant said that the affected principals were then invited for “an amicable resolution of the matter”.

“We employed our alternative conflict resolution mechanism and it yielded results; all the parties have agreed to the terms for the repayment of the fees to the affected candidates.

“The Principal of GSS Shekkina has refunded more than N400,000 to 67 candidates, while his GSS Wakama counterpart has agreed to pay the money before the end of June.

“We involved the candidates and their parents in the negotiations so as to resolve the matter without any violence that appeared imminent before we came in,” he said.

Bashir advised members of the public to take advantage of the alternative conflict resolution department of the command to resolve similar cases instead of taking laws into their hands.

We shall rescue abducted pupils, Ambode vows

Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has assured parents and  Lagosians of his administration’s committment to security of every child in the state.

Ambode spoke last week at the grand finale of the Lagos State Schools Governor’s Quiz Competition.

He spoke against the backdrop of a 14-day ultimatum issued during a protest by parents of the six abducted pupils of Lagos State Model College, Igbonla, at the Government House. The pupils were abducted by gunmen at the school premises three weeks ago.

The gunmen, who also took the principals of both junior and senior secondary schools with the pupils, have contacted the victims’ parents, demanding

FUOYE’s unending crisis

The crisis between the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) and the workers has taken a new turn. The school is accussing Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose of fuelling the strike.  ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA examines the scenario.

The crisis at the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) is not over yet. Last week, a new twist was added to the workers-management face-off when the Vice Chancellor, Prof Kayode Soremekun, alleged that the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, was fuelling the crisis by instigating the workers against the management.

As at the time of this report, the gates of the institution have been shut by workers, who are demanding sundry allowances and colleagues’ promotion.

The twist was added to the crisis on Wednesday, last week, when the union leaders allegedly unleashed terror on memebres of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), who were not part of the industrial action. The aggrieved workers allegedly dragged and beat some lecturers for their failure to join the strike. They were also alleged to have hung fetish objects at the main gate of the university, supposedly to scare visitors away.

source: thenationonlineng

Tears as Tiote’s Body Arrives in Abidjan (PHOTOS)

Wilfried Bony was among the pallbearers as a coffin containing Cheick Tiote’s body returned back to his native Ivory Coast on Thursday afternoon.

Tiote’s body arrived at Port Bouet airport in Abidjan, the Ivorian capital, after being flown from Beijing where he tragically passed away.

Manchester City forward Bony and other former team-mates of Tiote’s with the Ivory Coast national team carried the casket on their shoulders.

News: Lagos Govt to Employ 27,000 Sanitation Workers

Lagos State Government - In its renewed efforts at keeping a cleaner environment, the Lagos State Government, in collaboration with the Cleaner Lagos Initiative, says plans are ongoing at employing 27,000 sanitation workers to achieve this feat.

Addressing newsmen in Lagos yesterday at a three-day recruitment exercise held at Agege Stadium, coordinator of the Cleaner Lagos Initiative, Mr Ibrahim Fearon explained that a huge number of Lagosians have applied to be employed as community sanitation workers.

Fearon debunked fears that the initiative is out to compete with the Lagos State Waste Management Authority, LAWMA saying “those to be employed as sanitation workers will complement the efforts of LAWMA.”

He said:

TRCN REG TO CLOSE JUNE 16 DECLARES PROF. SEGUN AJIBOYE

The TRCN Registrar/CEO Prof Segun Ajiboye said this in an interview granted to ADEGUNLE OLUGBAMILA of the nation newpaper.

 Read the full interview below:


  How determined is the council to sustain this novel idea?

Yes, we are prepared! This is what is done in other professions all over the world. For instance, you cannot be a chartered accountant, if you have not passed ICAN (Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria) examination . You cannot be a certified engineer if you don’t have COREN (Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria) certificates.

Before now  we only registered teachers with their (teachers) certificates. Now that we are fully established, they will have to henceforth sit for and pass before they are qualified to be in the classroom