ASUSS Challenges Exclusion From Senior Secondary Education Commission

The Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), Nigeria, has called on the National Assembly to provide for its statutory representation on the National Senior Secondary Education Commission and corresponding governing structures at the state level.

The union made the demand on Thursday, October 29, 2026, while presenting its position on the National Senior Secondary Education Commission Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026, before the Senate Committee on Education (Basic and Secondary) and the committee of Basic Education and Services, House of Representatives, at the National Assembly, Abuja.

Presenting the memorandum at the public hearing held at Senate Conference Room 231, New Senate Building, the National President of ASUSS, Comrade Sola Adigun, argued that the union’s extensive national presence and significant membership among secondary school teachers across the country justified its inclusion in the governance structure of the Commission.

ASUSS noted that it has members in more than 24 states of the federation and solely represents secondary school teachers in more than 12 of these states.

The union maintained that excluding it from the Commission’s membership would undermine the principle of inclusive education governance and deny organised secondary school teachers an important platform to contribute to policies directly affecting their professional responsibilities and the quality of education.

According to the memorandum, teachers are central to the implementation of educational policies; consequently, their organised professional representation should be recognised in the institutions responsible for setting standards, coordinating programmes and supervising senior secondary education.

The union therefore urged the National Assembly to amend the relevant provisions of the Bill to expressly accommodate an ASUSS representative in the federal Commission, as well as the corresponding state-level boards or governing structures.

It stressed that representation at the federal level should complement, rather than replace, participation at the state level, particularly in states where ASUSS has established a significant presence.

ASUSS also called for the protection of existing state laws and lawful administrative arrangements that already recognise its representation in education governance structures.

It urged the National Assembly to introduce appropriate means and transitional provisions to prevent the proposed federal amendment from inadvertently displacing existing state enactments or creating uncertainty over the continued participation of ASUSS in state education boards.

Another major proposal presented by the union was the establishment of a full-time Chairman for the state-level Commission or Board, as against the proposed amendment for a part-time chairman at the state.

ASUSS argued that the administration of senior secondary education requires consistent leadership, regular supervision, effective policy coordination and sustained engagement with stakeholders.

It recommended that the position be occupied by a qualified educationist with substantial and demonstrable experience in educational administration, school management or education-sector leadership.

The union further called for transparent, merit-based appointment procedures, clearly defined tenure, statutory responsibilities, performance assessment and accountability mechanisms for the officeholder.

ASUSS SUPPORTS OTHER PROPOSED AMENDMENTS

Beyond its principal demands for representation and improved state-level administration, ASUSS also expressed support for some of the amendments presented by the executives during the legislative proceedings.

Among the proposals supported by the union was the removal of a PhD qualification as a mandatory criterion for appointment as Chairman and Executive Secretary of the Board at both federal and state levels.

The union aligned with the position that making a doctorate an indispensable requirement could unnecessarily restrict the pool of qualified candidates, whereas relevant professional qualifications, competence and substantial experience in educational administration should be given appropriate consideration.

ASUSS also supported the proposed inclusion of the 110 Unity Secondary Schools, Armed Forces Secondary Schools and public secondary schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) within the scope of the Commission’s coverage.

The union considered their inclusion important to ensuring a more comprehensive and inclusive national framework for the coordination and development of senior secondary education.

ASUSS POSITION ON TEACHERS’ REPRESENTATION

The proceedings also witnessed an attempt by a lawyer who represented the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) to shift the discussion from the substantive issues before the committees.

The NUT representative reportedly insisted that the union was the only body representing teachers in Nigeria, a position that prompted a diversion from the main legislative issues under consideration.

However, the attempt to turn the proceedings into a debate over the exclusive representation of teachers was disallowed, allowing attention to remain focused on the proposed amendments to the Act.

ASUSS maintained that its request for statutory representation was founded on its established national presence, membership strength in several states and its direct involvement in the professional interests of secondary school teachers.

The union emphasised that the objective should be to create an inclusive governance framework that recognises relevant stakeholders and allows those directly involved in secondary education to contribute meaningfully to policy formulation and implementation.

CALL FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION GOVERNANCE

In its concluding submissions, ASUSS urged the National Assembly to ensure that the final amendment reflects the principles of inclusiveness, professional participation, administrative competence and accountability.

It also called for meaningful consultation with the union on policies and decisions affecting secondary school teachers and the delivery of quality senior secondary education across the country.

The union expressed appreciation to the National Assembly for providing the opportunity to present its position, while reaffirming its commitment to the advancement of secondary education and the welfare and professional development of teachers in Nigeria.

ASUSS maintained that sustainable reform of the senior secondary education sector must go beyond establishing institutions to ensuring that the professionals responsible for translating government policies into classroom realities have a recognised voice in the governance process.