FOLLOWING the outrage that greeted the introduction of the Time and Attendance device distribution otherwise called clock-in, clock-out policy for staffers of the Delta State University (DELSU) and other tertiary institutions, the management has temporarily suspended the move.
In a memo, DELSU Regs121, signed by the Registrar, D. A. Urhibo, copies of which were sent to ASUU DELSU, SSANU DELSU, NAAT DELSU and NASU DELSU, the management said it had received a directive from the Ministry of Education, Asaba, on August 9 to suspend the implementation of the policy albeit temporarily.
The memo obtained by Tribune Online late Monday evening read thus:
“I am directed to inform you that the management of the university is in receipt of a circular letter from the Ministry of Education, Asaba, dated August 9th, 2018 in connection with the above the subject matter.
“In the light of the above, I am further directed to inform you that the implementation of the Timing and Attendance device has been temporarily suspended for the staff of tertiary institutions owned by the state government.”
It will be recalled that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka chapter, had in a statement last week rejected outright the “clock-in and clock-out” policy introduced by the state government.
The statement was issued last Friday and signed by the ASUU DELSU chairman and secretary, Prof. Abel Diakparomre and Dr Emmanuel Ufuophu-Biri after the union’s congress that held August 6.
ASUU averred that the policy was not only unacademic but unprecedented and a deviation from global academic norms.
The union explained that the statement was the sequel to the announcement of the policy by the university’s Deputy Registrar (Establishments), Mr Emmanuel Egheneji, through a memo dated July 31.
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“The said memo stated that with effect from Aug. 1, 2018, academic staff are to“clock-in and clock-out each time they resume and close from duties.
“After an extensive deliberation, Congress resolved that the University is a creation of law, which has self-regulating provisions and that academic of the University would continue to be guided by those provisions.
“The policy of clocking-in and clocking-out is not academic, it is unprecedented, and deviates from best-practices of the global academic community,” the union stated.
The union noted that university lecturers’ preoccupation were teaching, research, and community development, and therefore members of ASUU – DELSU would continue to discharge their responsibilities with regard to their extant obligations.
It described the policy as a threat to the globally cherished non-negotiable autonomy of the university, which the union would continue to defend and uphold.
The union advised the state Governor and Visitor to the university, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa to see proponents of the policy as enemies and saboteurs of his government and good will.
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