By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
Normal academic activities in public primary and secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State are still being halted days after the resumption date for this term, due to strike embarked upon by Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in the state.
The NUT on Tuesday this week, declared an indefinite strike and ordered all teachers in public schools across the state to stay at home from April 25, 2023, being the official date for resumption after the second term break.
Arising from the development, pupils and students in public schools are still at home when they ought to have been in school after the school holiday.
The strike was initially billed to commence on March 15, but on March 18, the strike was shelved following intervention by government, who had agreed to implement the demands of the union, but reneged, forcing the union to embark on the strike across schools on Tuesday.
The NUT Chairman, Comrade Edet Emenyi in a circular to members, said that the resumption of the industrial action is due to the refusal by the state government to implement the agreements reached with NUT on the outstanding indebtedness due teachers in the state despite persistent appeals from NUT and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
He listed the demands to include refund of 7.5 per cent contributory pension scheme to primary and some secondary school teachers, non-release of the 2021 and 2022 promotion letters to deserving secondary school teachers, non- payment of 2013, 2014, 2020 and 2021 leave grants to primary school teachers.
Others are non-payment of promotion arrears from 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 to primary school teachers, and non- promotion of deserving primary school teachers from salary Grade Level 14 to 15 and from Grade Level 15 to 16 for over nine years.
Emenyi, vowed that there will be no going back on the action, saying that the union has mobilised members from the 31 LGAs for the strike.
It was learnt that the strike notice dated April 20, 2023 and signed by Comrade Sam Umo-Inyang, Senior Assistant Secretary General of the State NUT, was sent to the Chairmen of State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), State Secondary Education Board, (SSEB), and the State Technical Education Board, STEB, for compliance.
The State Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Idongesit Etiebet, had earlier directed resumption of schools for the third term on Tuesday April 25, after the Ramadan festivities, but the teachers’ union failed to heed as pupils, apparently not aware of the strike were seen stranded around major schools in the capital.
Distraught parents pupils and students have lamented the unilateral decision to shut public primary and secondary schools in the state over government’s inability to heed to their demands.
