Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Obafemi Awolowo University branch, Caleb Aborisade, has put up a defence for lecturers in the institution who are on mass annual vacation.
He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Ile-Ife, Osun State that the vacation became compulsory for all members to have rest to allow maximum productivity.
He said “our annual leave is for the wellbeing of our students and also to allow the lecturers to rest.
“The rate at which the lecturers are dying in office is worrisome, due to their inability to have enough rest.
“Our going on annual leave will enable us to relax to prepare for the next session.”
He added that 56 work days annual leave was statutory, according to the university rule and was supposed to be taken at the end of each academic year.
Aborisade said the annual leave, which commenced on April 6, will end on June 24.
He said the leave would facilitate new discovery for the advancement of teaching methodology, lamenting that “for 20 years or so, our members have not been able to embark on leave”.
The chairman pointed out that the vacation was of two parts: the first 30 days was the normal annual leave, while another 26 work days was meant for research for new innovation.
In his response, the university’s spokesperson, Abiodun Olanrewaju, confirmed that it was essential for lecturers to have a vacation “because it is legitimate for all civil servants.”
Olanrewaju, who said that students of the institution were on holiday, noted that the university authorities had no objection to it and that the lecturers are expected to resume to classroom on June 24.
