Nigerian Education Minister Tahir Mamman said on Monday that the ministry will do everything possible within the ambit of the law “to facilitate the full implementation of the presidential directive on the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS), that affects tertiary institutions in the country.”
This statement appears in a press release issued by the ministry and signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Ben Goong.
According to the statement, the minister made the promise during a meeting with the leaders of the Committee of Principals of Nigerian Colleges of Education. The meeting was held in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Nigeria.
Mamman promised a consistent and positive interface with the committee to ensure peace and industrial harmony in the education colleges of the country.
Seeking collaboration
The Minister of State for Education, Yusuf Sununu, also intervened, criticizing the positive attitude of the leaders of the faculties of education.
He added that the ministry will reciprocate the gesture to ensure a harmonious working relationship.
“The leadership of the faculties of education and relevant stakeholders will close ranks with the ministry to ensure better student enrollment in the faculties to ensure a steady supply of qualified teachers at the basic level of our education system.”
READ ALSO: Nigerian government removes tertiary institutions from IPPIS
He added that the ministry will continue to work hard to create incentives for teachers, as well as to mobilize enrollment in education faculties.
The statement also revealed that the Chairman of the Committee of Rectors of Colleges of Education across the country, Faruk Haruna, and the Chairman of the Committee of Rectors of Federal Colleges of Education, Ali Adamu, unanimously appealed to the ministers to facilitate the implementation of the presidential directive to remove the institutions from the IPPIS.
IPPIS
The Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), launched in 2006, is a government initiative aimed at streamlining the payroll of government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
It spread to universities and colleges, which was rejected by labor unions and sparked outrage among teachers and administrators over delays in salary payments and discrepancies in deductions.
However, PREMIUM TIMES reported in December 2023 that tertiary institutions, including universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, have been exempted from the platform by the Nigerian government.