Despite the threat of sack by Kaduna State government, teachers in public primary and secondary schools in the state yesterday effectively commenced indefinite strike over job security and welfare issues. Governor Nasir el-Rufai has vowed to sack the absentee teachers.
El-Rufai said the list of the teachers that joined the strike is being compiled for severe penalties, including sack. The industrial action, called by the state chapter of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), is to stop the sack of about 22,000 teachers who failed the competency test administered by the state government last year. Governor el-Rufai had, on Sunday, threatened to dismiss any teacher that failed to resume work yesterday (Monday), saying that the planned strike is illegal.
But, the teachers defied the governor and embarked on strike. A check in many of the public primary and secondary schools within Kaduna metropolis and environs shows that the teachers complied with the directive to go on strike. In some of the schools in Kaduna metropolis, only security guards were noticed in the premises as students and teachers remained at home.
In some of the schools NUT officials chased the teachers and students away from the schools. As early as 10a.m., many of the pupils and students were already on their way home from school following teachers’ refusal to attend to them even though some of them were present in the school. At the Government Secondary School, Kakuri, our correspondent saw some of the teachers gathered in groups discussing the situation.
A teacher who did not want his name in print volunteered that they were officially on strike. According to him, “We came because today is the first day of resumption after the Christmas and New Year holidays. Also, we were not officially informed since we have been on break.
“But the circular concerning the strike has been shown to us. The NUT officials came around, three of them, and told us that the strike has commenced. Even this one we are staying here is illegal.”
He, however, told our correspondent that the school management told the senior teachers to be coming to work even if they will not work as grade level 10 and above are not supposed to embark on strike.
At LEA Primary School, Kawo where pupils recently gathered outside to protest the sack of their teachers, our correspondent observed that the teachers were standing outside, while classrooms were under lock and key.
A staff who did not want her name mentioned told New Telegraph that she only came to work, to officially receive notice of the strike from NUT, adding that from tomorrow, none of the teachers will be in the school premises.
There was no sign of resumption at Sabongari Primary School and Maiduguri Road LEA Primary School situated in the heart of Kaduna town as the school premises remained closed.Also, a teacher from LEA Primary School in Kabala, Mrs. Rosemary Katuka, told our correspondent that she was going home in compliance with the directive of NUT officials who came to her school to officially inform them of the strike.
At Government Secondary School, Romi, none of the teachers was on ground. One of the security guards at the school told our correspondent that the teachers were around earlier in the morning and left shortly after. At LGEA Primary School, Mahuta and Unguwan Boro, only security guards were at the premises while the classrooms were under lock and key.
One of the security guards told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that no teacher had resumed, adding that some of the pupils went home after hanging around with no teacher to attend to them.
At LGEA Primary School, Unguwan Mu’azu, some of the teachers were at the school premises, but with no student on sight. One of the teachers who preferred anonymity said that they directed the pupils to return home because of the strike, adding that the teachers were hanging around in case there might be new directive from the NUT.
At Rimi College in Unguwan Rimi, only the management staff were at their duty posts as teachers, who resumed work and were briefed by NUT officials on the strike, pledged compliance. Other schools visited were Government Secondary School, Kargi Road, Tudun Wada, LEA Primary School Faki Road, Tudun Wada, both with no sign of activity.
Reports from Zaria, Sabongari, Makarfi, Soba, Giwa and Ikara Local Government Areas indicate total compliance to the strike as teachers and students remained at home. However, at Government Girls Secondary School, Unguwan Mu’azu and Government Girls Secondary School, Independence Way, Kaduna, teachers and management staff that resumed for work said they had not seen the NUT circular on the strike. Our correspondent also gathered that the NUT has constituted a task force to monitor the schools and make sure that teachers comply fully with the strike action.
The NUT Chairman, Zaria Local Government, Malam Yahaya Abbas, said the strike was inevitable as the state government had ignored all efforts to meet the teachers’ demands. He contended that the sack of about 22,000 teachers, one of the reasons for the strike, was carried out in total disregard to civil service rules and regulations.
“The sack was not done in accordance with civil service rules and majority of the teachers passed the so-called examination with more than 60 per cent. “There is no justification for the governor to fix 75 per cent as pass mark, it has never been done anywhere in the world.
“Even in Oxford, Cambridge or Harvard universities, if you get 70 marks, you are a grade `A’ student.” Usman Rabi’u, NUT Chairman, Sabongari Local Government appreciated teachers in the area for complying with the strike order by the NUT and urged them not to waiver “until justice is done.”
He, however, urged the state government to meet the demands of the union so as not to prolong the strike. A cross section of teachers said on condition of anonymity, that they were dismayed by the lukewarm attitude of the state government towards addressing issues that led to the strike. Meanwhile, Kaduna State Government has declared that no amount of strike will bring back teachers that have been sacked.
A statement made available to newsmen also said government is compiling the list of those absent from work for appropriate punishment, including sack. Samuel Aruwan, spokesman for Governor el-Rufai, disclosed that the “government is collating reports from its education administrators and all teachers that have absented themselves from work will face the severest penalties applicable in the public service rules.
Appropriate reminder of the potency of these rules has been issued in previous government statements.” Aruwan said “although NUT officials tried to unlawfully prevent teachers from working, many defied this intimidation,” adding that “the strike action will not restore bad teachers.” The government also “commended the teachers who reported dutifully to their schools.”
“Across the state, the illegality of the NUT’s strike action is being compounded by physical attempts to frustrate those teachers who wish to work. No law permits any worker to tamper with another’s right to work. The attention of the security agencies has been drawn to this dangerous pattern of conduct. “The Kaduna State Government is resolute in its determination to protect the future of the children of the poor.
Ordinary citizens are entitled to expect public primary schools to deliver a decent standard of education. “At least two million pupils are enrolled in public primary schools and their interests come first.
“Government is delighted to inform the public that marking of scripts of the 43,000 applicants for teaching positions is now concluded. The recruitment process to inject 25,000 qualified teachers into our public schools will now move to the next phase. “The state government will not allow the selfishness of a tiny minority to ruin the future of two million children.”
The NUT had, on November 6, 2017, given the state government a twoweek ultimatum to reverse its decision to sack about 22,000 teachers. The union had obtained an injunction from the National Industrial Court, Kaduna, restraining the state government from disengaging any teacher until the determination of the substantive suit on the matter. NUT explained it proceeded on strike after the state government began issuing sack letters to the affected teachers after the Christmas and New Year holidays.
The union is also asking the state government to stop the compulsory retirement of secondary school teachers; pay the 2015 leave transport grant of 3,338 primary school teachers, and that of all public school teachers for 2016 and 2017.
Other demands include the payment of salary arrears of more than 15,000 primary school teachers from June 2015 to July 2016, and full payment of salaries of teachers omitted after screening and those being under paid.
The NUT stressed that the state government has also failed to promote teachers and provide teaching and learning materials to schools among others.
(NAN)
El-Rufai said the list of the teachers that joined the strike is being compiled for severe penalties, including sack. The industrial action, called by the state chapter of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), is to stop the sack of about 22,000 teachers who failed the competency test administered by the state government last year. Governor el-Rufai had, on Sunday, threatened to dismiss any teacher that failed to resume work yesterday (Monday), saying that the planned strike is illegal.
But, the teachers defied the governor and embarked on strike. A check in many of the public primary and secondary schools within Kaduna metropolis and environs shows that the teachers complied with the directive to go on strike. In some of the schools in Kaduna metropolis, only security guards were noticed in the premises as students and teachers remained at home.
In some of the schools NUT officials chased the teachers and students away from the schools. As early as 10a.m., many of the pupils and students were already on their way home from school following teachers’ refusal to attend to them even though some of them were present in the school. At the Government Secondary School, Kakuri, our correspondent saw some of the teachers gathered in groups discussing the situation.
A teacher who did not want his name in print volunteered that they were officially on strike. According to him, “We came because today is the first day of resumption after the Christmas and New Year holidays. Also, we were not officially informed since we have been on break.
“But the circular concerning the strike has been shown to us. The NUT officials came around, three of them, and told us that the strike has commenced. Even this one we are staying here is illegal.”
He, however, told our correspondent that the school management told the senior teachers to be coming to work even if they will not work as grade level 10 and above are not supposed to embark on strike.
At LEA Primary School, Kawo where pupils recently gathered outside to protest the sack of their teachers, our correspondent observed that the teachers were standing outside, while classrooms were under lock and key.
A staff who did not want her name mentioned told New Telegraph that she only came to work, to officially receive notice of the strike from NUT, adding that from tomorrow, none of the teachers will be in the school premises.
There was no sign of resumption at Sabongari Primary School and Maiduguri Road LEA Primary School situated in the heart of Kaduna town as the school premises remained closed.Also, a teacher from LEA Primary School in Kabala, Mrs. Rosemary Katuka, told our correspondent that she was going home in compliance with the directive of NUT officials who came to her school to officially inform them of the strike.
At Government Secondary School, Romi, none of the teachers was on ground. One of the security guards at the school told our correspondent that the teachers were around earlier in the morning and left shortly after. At LGEA Primary School, Mahuta and Unguwan Boro, only security guards were at the premises while the classrooms were under lock and key.
One of the security guards told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that no teacher had resumed, adding that some of the pupils went home after hanging around with no teacher to attend to them.
At LGEA Primary School, Unguwan Mu’azu, some of the teachers were at the school premises, but with no student on sight. One of the teachers who preferred anonymity said that they directed the pupils to return home because of the strike, adding that the teachers were hanging around in case there might be new directive from the NUT.
At Rimi College in Unguwan Rimi, only the management staff were at their duty posts as teachers, who resumed work and were briefed by NUT officials on the strike, pledged compliance. Other schools visited were Government Secondary School, Kargi Road, Tudun Wada, LEA Primary School Faki Road, Tudun Wada, both with no sign of activity.
Reports from Zaria, Sabongari, Makarfi, Soba, Giwa and Ikara Local Government Areas indicate total compliance to the strike as teachers and students remained at home. However, at Government Girls Secondary School, Unguwan Mu’azu and Government Girls Secondary School, Independence Way, Kaduna, teachers and management staff that resumed for work said they had not seen the NUT circular on the strike. Our correspondent also gathered that the NUT has constituted a task force to monitor the schools and make sure that teachers comply fully with the strike action.
The NUT Chairman, Zaria Local Government, Malam Yahaya Abbas, said the strike was inevitable as the state government had ignored all efforts to meet the teachers’ demands. He contended that the sack of about 22,000 teachers, one of the reasons for the strike, was carried out in total disregard to civil service rules and regulations.
“The sack was not done in accordance with civil service rules and majority of the teachers passed the so-called examination with more than 60 per cent. “There is no justification for the governor to fix 75 per cent as pass mark, it has never been done anywhere in the world.
“Even in Oxford, Cambridge or Harvard universities, if you get 70 marks, you are a grade `A’ student.” Usman Rabi’u, NUT Chairman, Sabongari Local Government appreciated teachers in the area for complying with the strike order by the NUT and urged them not to waiver “until justice is done.”
He, however, urged the state government to meet the demands of the union so as not to prolong the strike. A cross section of teachers said on condition of anonymity, that they were dismayed by the lukewarm attitude of the state government towards addressing issues that led to the strike. Meanwhile, Kaduna State Government has declared that no amount of strike will bring back teachers that have been sacked.
A statement made available to newsmen also said government is compiling the list of those absent from work for appropriate punishment, including sack. Samuel Aruwan, spokesman for Governor el-Rufai, disclosed that the “government is collating reports from its education administrators and all teachers that have absented themselves from work will face the severest penalties applicable in the public service rules.
Appropriate reminder of the potency of these rules has been issued in previous government statements.” Aruwan said “although NUT officials tried to unlawfully prevent teachers from working, many defied this intimidation,” adding that “the strike action will not restore bad teachers.” The government also “commended the teachers who reported dutifully to their schools.”
“Across the state, the illegality of the NUT’s strike action is being compounded by physical attempts to frustrate those teachers who wish to work. No law permits any worker to tamper with another’s right to work. The attention of the security agencies has been drawn to this dangerous pattern of conduct. “The Kaduna State Government is resolute in its determination to protect the future of the children of the poor.
Ordinary citizens are entitled to expect public primary schools to deliver a decent standard of education. “At least two million pupils are enrolled in public primary schools and their interests come first.
“Government is delighted to inform the public that marking of scripts of the 43,000 applicants for teaching positions is now concluded. The recruitment process to inject 25,000 qualified teachers into our public schools will now move to the next phase. “The state government will not allow the selfishness of a tiny minority to ruin the future of two million children.”
The NUT had, on November 6, 2017, given the state government a twoweek ultimatum to reverse its decision to sack about 22,000 teachers. The union had obtained an injunction from the National Industrial Court, Kaduna, restraining the state government from disengaging any teacher until the determination of the substantive suit on the matter. NUT explained it proceeded on strike after the state government began issuing sack letters to the affected teachers after the Christmas and New Year holidays.
The union is also asking the state government to stop the compulsory retirement of secondary school teachers; pay the 2015 leave transport grant of 3,338 primary school teachers, and that of all public school teachers for 2016 and 2017.
Other demands include the payment of salary arrears of more than 15,000 primary school teachers from June 2015 to July 2016, and full payment of salaries of teachers omitted after screening and those being under paid.
The NUT stressed that the state government has also failed to promote teachers and provide teaching and learning materials to schools among others.
(NAN)
Teachers dare el-Rufai, begin indefinite strike
Reviewed by Debo Olowu
on
January 09, 2018
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Reviewed by Debo Olowu
on
January 09, 2018
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