By Rosemary Ogbonnaya
Industrial action has marred the smooth operation of Nigerian education system and not really a good time for schools in Federal Capital Territory as Primary and Secondary school teachers begin a five day warning strike.
Visiting schools around Kubwa, Newsdiaryonline gathered that students who went to school on Thursday were later dismissed by their Head teachers due to the ongoing warning strike.
“I got a call this morning that we should stay away from our duty post from now till Wednesday next week when we will receive further directive so, we have to ask our students to go home too,” said one of the LEA, Kubwa teachers who does not want her name in print.
Meanwhile, in a communiqué, jointly signed by the executives of the State Executive Council, SWEC after its emergency meeting of Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, FCT Wing held on Thursday, disclosed that the warning strike was as a result of the non-commitment of the management of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, to fullfil the promise to pay 2017 and 2018 promotion arrears to secondary school teachers.
While saying that various ultimatum had been issued to the six Area Councils Chairmen to settle the outstanding entitlement of the Local Education Authority, LEA, teachers in FCT, and ultimatum issued to the management of the Federal Capital Territory Administration to pay year 2016, 2017 and 2018 promotion arrears to secondary school teachers in FCT, the union also decried non- commitment of the political will of the area Councils Chairmen and FCTA to settle the outstanding entitlement.
The union enumerated the demands to include: Implementation of 2019 and 2020 promotion in some LEAs; payment of promotion arrears from 2014 to 2018; implementation of 2020 and 2021 Annual Increments Arrears; payment of qualified teachers.
Other demands include: Upgrading of qualified teachers; payment of twenty-four months New National Minimum Wage Arrears to LEA teachers; payment of 2016, 2017, 2018 promotion letters to enable concerned teachers enjoy their promotion arrears.
The union, however, warned that if the six Area Councils Chairmen and FCTA fail to settle the outstanding entitlement of FCT teachers within the five days warning strike, it will declare an indefinite strive.
” Having deliberated exhaustively, on the issues at stake, the SWEC-in- session was saddened at the non-commitment of the Area Councils Chairmen and the Management of the Federal Capital Territory Administration to the settlement of FCT teachers’ outstanding entitlement and therefore resolved to embark on a five day warning strike with effect from Thursday 18th to Wednesday 24th.
“Failure of the FCTA and six Area Councils Chairmen to settle the outstanding entitlement of FCT teachers within the five days period of the warning strike will leave the union with no option than to declare an indefinite strike action to press home demands,” communiqué reads in part.
The union, therefore, directed all primary and secondary school teachers in FCT to comply by staying away from duty post and await further directive.
