NASU begins a 3-day peaceful protest across the country

The Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) of educational and associated institutions Benue chapter commenced its 3-day peaceful protest within Makurdi the state capital to press home their demand for inclusion.

The union which insists on taking their demands to the State government is generally saying enough of the segregation.

Members of the non-academic staff union of educational and associated institutions NASU presenting their 5 point demands to the State government.

They are demanding amongst others an end to discriminatory industrial relations practices against non-teaching staff in primary and post-primary schools.

President Mohammadu Buhari had announced incentives for teachers in public schools during last year’s teacher’s day celebration and excluded non-teaching staff generating this reaction.

Also, the Niger state chapter of the union took to the streets lamented what they described as a “discriminatory policy of the government that put the retirement age of teachers at 65 years and makes 40 years the length of service.”

NASU members who protested in Minna, the state capital said teachers are not the only workers in the basic and foundation subsector of education, hence, the need for consideration of NASU members in the policy.

The union said the policy would be transmitted to the National Assembly for enactment into law while the government also announce some incentives for teachers such as hardship posting, rural posting allowances, and others.

Members were seeing with placards with various inscriptions such as; ‘Non-teaching staff are vital components that graduate students’ ‘what is good for the teachers is also good for the non-teaching staff’ ‘is it a crime to be a non-teaching staff’ ‘discriminatory tendencies will destroy the school system’ among others.

The protesters marched from the city gate Minna to the state house of assembly and later moved to the head of a service to press home their demands.

Speaking during the protest, Chairman NASU-NSUBEB, Comrade Muhammed M. Gimba, said they were at the house to explain their challenges and what was wrong with the Federal executive council’s approval of harmonized retirement age for teachers in Nigeria and other incentives.

According to him, “we believe that the president policy statement which was made in favour of teachers and the federal executive council approval are genuine acts of an employer aimed at motivating an employee towards increased productivity with a view to providing quality education to our children as envisaged in the constitution.

“Our problem with the approval was the discrimination against the non-teaching professionals and support staff in the education subsector. Moreover, it is lacking in fairness equity, a good conscience, and natural justice for the reason that teachers are not only workers the basic and foundation subsector of the education sector. Teachers work with quite a diverse range of non-teaching professionals and support personnel.

Gimba noted that even though they conceded that teaching is central to schools, it is also obvious that a positive congenial, safe and healthy working environment conducive for teaching and learning is also important which teachers alone cannot provide and guarantee.

He added that the attention of the president and minister of education has been drawn to the discriminatory aspect of the police and urged other stakeholders in the education sector to take note.

The union also called on governments at all levels to be fair and just towards addressing their grievances.

The placard-carrying protesters were late addressed by Honourable representing Gbako Constituency at the house, Hon Husseini Yabagi who commended the orderliness of the union and promised that the house will look into their complaints and address same.

The protesters disclosed that they will also March to the state SUBEB office to press home their demand.