Abdullahi M. Gulloma & Misbahu Bashir
1 July 2008
Abuja — Thousands of primary and secondary school pupils across the country were yesterday sent back home following an indefinite strike declared by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) over the non-payment of Teachers Salary Structure (TSS) by the Federal Government.
The strike, initially billed to commence today, was moved to yesterday by the NUT, and so most of the pupils were caught unawares. Public schools across the country were shut as teachers refused to turn out for work in order to make the strike effective.
The NUT said yesterday that the strike continues today until the Federal Government issues the enabling circular creating the Teachers' Salary Structure, which had been earlier agreed on between the NUT, federal and state governments.
The union rejected the stakeholders' forum announced by the Information Minister, Mr. John Odey, saying matters of teachers' salaries and wages cannot be for a fresh stakeholders' discussion.
"Any talk about a stakeholders' discussion when the National Assembly had already provided for the Teachers' Salary Structure in the 2008 budget is merely diversionary. Nigerians should by now be convinced that many of the key education administrators at the federal level are not giving sound, intelligent and honest advice to Mr. President.
"That this strike has been allowed to take off and enter the second day does not portray Mr. President as a leader who has concern for education. The NUT appeals to Mr. President to again, intervene in this matter and not allow subordinates to mislead the administration and the public.
This government should call its officials to order, so that they stop making inflammatory and provocative statements," the NUT said.
The NUT also expressed dismay over what it referred to as a "campaign of calumny" and the "unhelpful response" by government on the TSS and called on the government to take necessary steps to ensure the immediate issuance of enabling circular for the payment of the Teachers Salary Structure.
"The response by the federal government to the demand of the NUT demonstrates serious official confusion, lack of coherence and lately, a mixture of arrogance and an aversion for the truth. This is evident in the statements credited to the Minister of State for Education, Hajia Aisha Jibril Dukku.
"The Minister of State has now insisted that the Federal Government would not pay the Teachers Salary Structure (TSS). The comments contradict the initial position of the federal government and the Federal Ministry of Education. In an official release issued by the Ministry on June 13, 2008, it had stated clearly that "the present administration had not only recognized the need for the implementation of the TSS but went ahead to capture the needed fund in its 2008 budget."
"Again, contrary to the impression created by the Minister of State for Education, the federal and state governments were fully involved in the deliberations that led to the Teachers' Salary Scale through the National Council on Education, whose chair is the Minister of Education.
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