NUT, Taraba disagree on administration of primary school teachers by LGs

Teachers under the aegis of Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Taraba State Chapter have stormed the Taraba State House of Assembly to protest the proposed local government autonomy.

The State Chairman of Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Taraba State Chapter, Comrade Peter Julius while speaking when he laid a rally of teachers on the issues at the House State of Assembly yesterday in Jalingo said the union position is that management, funding and payment of primary school teachers salaries should remain with the state government.

“We want management, funding and payment of Primary School Teachers’ salaries in the state to remain with the state government if autonomy is to be granted to local government in the country.
And as a second option, the union also maintained its earlier stand that salaries of primary school teachers be draw through first line charge from the federal account” he said.

He noted that the call by the Union for payment of salaries of Primary School Teachers to be managed by the State Government or the Federal Government was to stop the education sub-sector from deteriorating.
“The truth remains that the state government have the obligation to safeguard the right of every child to enjoy basic education and as such would not continue to depend on local government councils for payment of salaries to primary school teachers, who at present lacks the where withal to manage eduction sector” he stressed.

According to him, item 2(a) of the fourth schedule of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) provides “that the function of the local government councils includes” participation of such council in the government of a state in respects to the provision and management of primary, adult and vocational education, adding that the provision does not mean that local government councils should be responsible for the payment of salaries to Primary School Teachers, but a participatory role and not to by any way pay salaries.

Responding, the Speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abel Peter Diah said the House would not compromise to mortgage the future of the state.
“I want to assure you that by the time we go through your complaints, we will ensure that teachers’ salaries are kept in a safe place” he noted.

Okerafor Athanatius, Jalingo.