Academic activities will resume in all primary and post-primary schools today as the Nigerian Union of Teachers ( NUT) suspended its five-week old strike yesterday but the suspension is however two weeks. Essentially, the suspension it to allow for negotiation with the representatives of the Government Forum which met with NUT officials in Abuja on Monday.

This was a major decision taken by the national executive of the union which met in Abuja yesterday.

The suspension of the strike was in line with industrial relations practices that negotiation cannot be held under duress. Both parties; the employer and the employee must return to the status quo.

Primary and post-primary schools have been closed for academic activities since June 30 when the NUT commenced a nation-wide strike to put pressure on the Federal Government to implement the Teachers Salary Scale (TSS). The TSS is a salary scale which was meant to reflect the professionalism of teachers and improve on their take home pay.

NUT secretary -general, Comrade Obong Ikpe Obong who spoke to Vanguard after the meeting with representatives of the Governors' Forum "We looked at that as very progressive. We are meeting with the committee tomorrow ( i.e today). It is much more pragmatic. It is not something that they just proposed and left. We feel we should give this a trial".

He explained, "They Governors agreed to negotiate centrally. We accepted and that will facilitate the resolution of the crisis instead of going from state to state for negotiation".

The federal government had refused to the negotiate with the teachers claiming that the teachers engaged in its unity schools are civil servants.

The Joint Committee which has the governor of Kaduna State, Namadi Sambo as the Chairman with the Deputy governors of Osun, Ebonyi, Commissioners of Education of Nasarawa; Kwara; Ekiti; Akwa-Ibom, Kano and Yobe states as members, will negotiate with the representatives of the NUT to be nominated at the emergency national executive council meeting of the union due to hold in Abuja.

Negotiation would have commenced yesterday ( Tuesday) but the NUT officials led by its acting president, Onem Nelson Onem and secretary general, Obong Ikpe Obong told the Governors that the union could only take directive from its national executive council meeting which was fixed for yesterday.

Chairman of the forum and Governor of Kwara State, Dr. Bukola Saraki who read a communique endorsed by both parties assured that nobody will be victimized for being part of the on going strike.

He said the governors recognize the constitutional rights of workers to demand better conditions of service, adding that the body recognizes the wisdom and the spirit of the constitution which has scheduled the country into a Federation, apportioning powers, roles, rights and responsibilities to the federating units in relation to the centre.

Governor Bukola Saraki said, "Nobody will be victimized for taking part in the strike action. Both parties expressed their commitment to resolving the problem expeditiously".

The I0 member negotiating team of the Governors Forum is made up of a Governor, three deputy Governors and six commissioners of education ; representing the six geo-political zones".

A reliable source at the meeting with the Governors told Vanguard that there were indications that the Governors were ready to increase the pay of teachers.