Teachers in public schools in Niger State have commenced an indefinite strike.

The strike commenced yesterday after the collapse of a meeting that was summoned by the state government on Tuesday.

The meeting, which was presided by the Head of Service, Ms. Salamatu Abubakar, failed to convince the officials of the Nigerian Teachers Associaton (NUT) to shift ground on their decisions to embark on strike.

The NUT directed all its members to turn their backs on public educational institutions from today (Wednesday) and remain at home until when they received a counter directive from the union.

A statement signed by the leaders of all the affiliate unions of the NUT in the state reads:

The NUT, Niger State wing, hereby directs all its members at both primary and secondary schools in the state to embark on an indefinite strike action as from 12 a.m. on Wednesday, May 5, 2021.

Consequently all public primary and secondary schools in the state are to remain closed and members are to stay at home until otherwise directed by the union.

The union also ordered the immediate implementation of N30,000 minimum wage to primary school teachers on grade level 7 and above, payment of October 2020 salaries to primary school teachers and the refund of salary cut for April 2021 to all teachers.

It said:

The attention of the union has also been drawn that 70 per cent will be paid to primary school teachers as salaries for the month of April, this development is hereby rejected by the union as it will only accept 100 per cent salary payment.

The union noted that teachers in the state had always been treated as second

The NDU demanded the full implementation of the Teachers Salary Scale TSS to both professional and non-professional teachers.

The Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Hannatu Jibrin Salihu, could not be reached as she was said to be attending the weekly state executive council’s meeting.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.