The Ekiti State Chapter of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), on Tuesday cautioned its members against ignoring government’s warnings on rejecting postings to rural areas.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the state government had, last week, directed that teachers who had rejected posting to rural areas should tender their resignation letters.
NAN reports that the new NUT State Chairman, Mr Oke Emmanuel, issued the warning on Tuesday in an interview with newsmen after he led the new executives of the union on a courtesy visit to Gov. Kayode Fayemi in his office in Ado Ekiti.
According to him, teachers can be asked to work in any part of the state in line with terms of employment and public service protocol.
Oke, who stressed that NUT would not condone or support any teacher who failed to report at his/her station across the state, noted that the union would employ dialogue in ensuring peaceful and harmonious relationship with the government.
The NUT chairman said: “The union will not condone teachers who fail to report to their duty posts for assignment.
“Once you have the opportunity to be employed as a teacher, you should be prepared to work in any part of the state as determined by the authorities that employed you.
“If we have any teacher that probably for one reason or the other is having any issue beyond what he or she can contend with, then the union can come to either SUBEB or TESCOM to plead for consideration.
“But NUT will not condone rejection of posting on flimsy excuses.”
Earlier at the meeting, the NUT Chairman had commended the governor for not interfering in the state’s delegates conference and election held in February.
He also acknowledged the performance of the present administration in the education sector, with particular reference to teachers’ welfare and infrastructure development.
In his response to some of the demands presented by the union, Fayemi gave the assurance that he would not relent in his efforts to accord priority to issues bothering on capacity development and training of teachers across the state.
The governor also noted that teachers had key roles to play in imparting virtues that demonstrate the cultural value heritage of the state to the young ones who, according to him, are the future leaders.
He expressed concerns for the protection of young ones especially the girl child against defilement and sexual molestation.
He urged the new NUT executives to champion campaign against girl child defilement across schools in the state.
He said: “Where we put the children particularly the girl child under your watch and some of these children end up in cases of defilement, cases of sexual abuse, it is totally unacceptable.
“It is something that I believe NUT should start a campaign on yourself.
“This is so because teachers are actually the flag wavers of decent behaviour in the protection of pupils and students across the board in our schools.
“I am sure you are aware, I have several cases on my desk involving teachers and this does not speak well to the values that we all associate with in Ekiti.
“It is not a matter to be left in the hands of female executive members of NUT alone.
“It is one that you as the chairman must champion and drive, even in partnership with us, we don’t mind.
“But it is a matter of concern to me and I believe you are in the best position to assist the state in reducing these incidences involving young people.
“Ekiti teachers should be in a different class of their own because this is Ekiti, this is the land of honour, this is the fountain of knowledge and we should really demonstrate that in everything we do.”(NAN)
