EDO: Govt, NUT trade words over Feb.1 resumption date for public schools

You will forfeit your salaries if you fail to resume work — Govt

It’s an empty threat, NUT replies

THE Nigerian Union of Teachers has directed its members to disregard the directive of the state government that schools in the state should resume on February 1.

The union said the indefinite strike action began on January 18 in Edo State has not been suspended.

It added the government’s refusal to address its grievances after two ultimatums which had eventually elapsed showed that Obaseki administration does not care about the welfare of teachers in Edo State.

The union said these while reacting to the government’s threat that teachers who failed to resume to work on Monday, February 1, 2021 would forfeit their salaries

The Edo NUT said it would not succumb to what it described as an “empty threat,

The government, hiwever, in a statement issued on Friday described the strike action as one sponsored by the detractors of Governor Obaseki adding that teachers to resume work to hand over all school property in their care to their respective education secretaries.

The statement read in part, “The Edo State Government wishes to reemphasise that all public school teachers and head teachers are required to be present in their various schools.

“Failure to resume work would be considered forfeiture of salary as the government has activated the no work, no pay policy. Head teachers and teachers who are desirous of staying away from work in support of the sponsored strike action by certain elements of the Edo State branch of the Nigeria Union of Teachers are required to hand over all school property in their custody to their respective education secretaries.

“The Edo State Government through the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board is collaborating with the relevant security agencies to ensure the protection of all public schools. Any willful destruction of government property will be met with criminal prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.”

Describing the state government’s new directive as propaganda, the union said none of it’s members would resume work on Monday.

The state chairman of the union, Pius Okhueleigbe, said the issues yet to be resolved by the state government included the non-implementation of promotions from 2016 to 2018, 2019 and 2020, non-payment of stipends to the participants of Edo BEST (Basic Education Sector Transformation) and arrears of promotion from 2013 to 2015 to teachers in Uhunmwonde, Oredo and Orhionmwon local government areas.

Okhueleigbe said, “That (no work, no pay policy) is mere propaganda. It is not going to hold water. There are issues we want the government to settle. That is the demand of the teachers.

“Let the government meet the demands of the teachers instead of all that threat and propaganda. It is an empty threat.

“None of my members will resume on Monday. That is quite clear. The strike continues. All that the state government is saying is mere threat. It cannot hold water.”