Edo NUT defies govt, insists schools won’t reopen today
The Edo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has advised parents and guardians to forget about taking their children and wards to school today, insisting that its indefinite strike continues.
This follows the ranging conflict between the union and the state government over the indefinite strike declared aggrieved teachers body.
It would be recalled that the state government had last Thursday in a statement signed by Secretary to the Edo State Government, Osarodion Ogie, ordered public primary school teachers and school-heads to resume academic activities unfailingly today or risk forfeiture of salaries.
Also, the state government threatened to apply the no work, no pay policy as a reaction to the NUT’s directive ordering all its members to ignore the proposed resumption date by the state government even as negotiations to resolve the strike continue.
According to a press statement made available to newsmen by the NUT state Chairman, Pius Okhueleigbe and Assistant Secretary General, Moni Mike Modesty, respectively in Benin City on Sunday, the union appealed to parents and guardians to keep their children and wards at home pending when the issues in dispute are favourably resolved as their teachers are resolute in complying with the stay at home order.
“The union has not called off the indefinite strike embarked on since January 18, 2021. We urge public primary school-heads, teachers, parents, pupils and the general public to disregard all forms of threat, blackmail, intimidation, announcements, pronouncements and moves from any quarter aimed at discrediting the indefinite strike action.
“None of these anti- democratic tactics will utter the unshakable resolve of the union and her members in ensuring that teachers 10-point demands are met by the Edo State Government.
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“The attention of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Edo State wing has been drawn to some pronouncements purportedly made by the Edo State Government with regard to the ongoing indefinite strike action embarked on by public primary school teachers and school-heads in Edo State since 18th January, 2020, wherein, it has been reported that the government has issued a threat of no work, no pay, amongst others, to striking teachers with effect from 1st February, 2021.
“Ordinarily, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Edo State wing would not have bothered to respond to the said pronouncements because they were directed at the National Union of Teachers, a body unknown to the constitution and laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, but considering some parts of the pronouncements that bear teachers issues presently in dispute between NUT, Edo State wing and Edo State Government.
“The indefinite strike action by public primary school-heads and teachers which started on the 18th day of January, 2021 is still very much in force, hence by Monday, February 1, 2021, it will continue unhindered in the 18 local government areas of the state,” the statement added.
