On Solution to ASUU Strike and Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure II (CONUASS II) in the Nigerian Universities Using Optimization Method

Abstract

In this paper, we applied dynamic programming model for optimization of Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure II (CONUASS II) for the overall interest of the academic staff and the Nigerian University System. Our focus was on the decision policy that would help to enhance the living condition of lecturers in the Nigerian universities thereby averting frequent strikes and disruption of academic calendars. The frequent and incessant strikes delay students and impacts negatively to their feature; hence, anything that could be done to stabilize the university education in Nigeria will contribute immensely to the economic growth and stability of the country. To achieve this, we applied dynamic programming and developed an optimal decision policy which was applied to obtain the best optimal policy needed for the highest ranking cadre in the academic to achieve optimal remuneration of at least twice their per annum salary with subsequent adjustment in the other cadres’ salaries accordingly. Applying the optimal decision policy, we obtained (1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 0, 0) which optimizes the academic staff’s earning with a promotion to level 08 instead of remaining at bar with many steps. If this policy is implemented, a professor at the bar will grow to level 08 and will therefore earn up to at least double of his/her annual salary (N13,658,325) instead of the current stagnating salary of (N6,020,163) per annum at the bar. This will make the lecturers to be happy and discharge their duties with commitments and thereby addressing the perennial strikes in the Nigerian universities.