NUT kicks against hasty reopening of schools in Niger
The Niger state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has kicked against the hasty reopening of schools in the state.
According to the union, the lives of teachers and those of the pupils/students should be considered before such action is taken by the state government.
The position of the union was made known by its Principal Assistant Secretary, Comrade Labaran Garba in Minna at the weekend, after conducting newsmen round the ultra- modern state secretariat of the organisation.
He declared that “we should not rush into it (reopening of schools), so as not to draw pupils/students into the pandemic. Teachers are more prone to contracting the disease because they are closer to the pupils they are the first that will meet the pupils in the event of either a pupil or teacher having contracted the disease, it will easily spread”.
Garba revealed that the NUT has submitted a position paper to the state government for consideration on measures to be adopted before the reopening of schools.
He therefore, advised that the state government to critically look into the submissions made by the union by holding a stakeholders meeting to agree on the best approach that will lead to the reopening of schools.
Ajanah, Kogi Chief judge dies at COVID-19 isolation centre
Garba also asked the state government to consider the plight of teachers in the sharing of palliatives when the schools reopen.
Commenting on the new secretariat complex, he disclosed that N150 million has so far been spent on the construction and furnishing of the ultra -modern building, saying that the funding of the project was done solely from the check -up union of NUT members in the state.
“We do not owe anybody on this project; we did not collect any bank loan and there is no government intervention. This is done purely from our own 45 per cent share of members’ contributions,” Garba added.
The administrative building will accommodate all the principal officers of the union and supporting staff. It also has two board rooms and a conference hall and 1,000 capacity multi -purpose conference centre which is still under construction.
