Education

NUT directs Abuja primary school teachers to resume strike

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Federal Capital Territory Wing, has directed primary school teachers in Abuja to resume strike on January 15, 2024.

The NUT gave the directive in a communique issued at the end of an emergency meeting of the State Wing Standing Committee (SWSC), held in Abuja on Friday, January 12.

The communique was signed by State Chairman, Abdullahi Shafas; State Secretary, Margaret Jethro; and State Publicity Secretary, Ibukun Adekeye.

The primary school teachers had embarked on indefinite strike on September 11, 2023, over the non-implementation of 40 per cent peculiar allowance, and payment of 25 months minimum wage arrears, among other issues.

The NUT suspended the strike on October 2 for six weeks to allow the resolution of the issues, following the intervention of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.

Wike had set up a six-man committee to look into the issues and recommend solutions.

The teachers, however, expressed worry that the six weeks had elapsed since November 2023 with nothing positive achieved, even though the committee had submitted its report.

They said: “We are concerned that series of meetings have taken place, but the primary school teachers remain in a pathetic situation and continue to bear the brunt of the high cost of living.

“Saddened by the suffering of the teachers and the nonpayment of the aforementioned entitlements, the SWSC has no other option than to direct all primary school teachers in FCT to resume the suspended strike.

“The union, hereby, directs all FCT primary school teachers to resume the suspended strike action with effect from Monday, January 15, till further notice.

“Parents are advised to keep their children and wards in primary schools safe at home.”

The NUT warned that all secondary school teachers in the FCT would join the strike from January 22, if the demands of the primary school teachers were not met before January 19, 2024.

The Star