School Resumption: NUT Gives Conditions for Resumption in States

Obiajulu Joel Nwolu

The Nigeria Union of Teachers has expressed readiness to resume work but warned that it would declare trade disputes with states owing workers up to four months salaries.

The union stated that since COVID-19 had truncated academic activities for about five months, they were ready to return to classes as they had known how to guard against the virus.

This was disclosed by the Secretary-General of NUT, Mike Ene, in an interview with Punch.

“Yes, we will want to resume. I don’t think anything will make us not resume. We are ready, but the places where we will not resume are in states where the government is owing workers, especially states where the government is owing four months to any set of workers, either primary and secondary schools. We have asked our teachers to stay at home in such states, he said while responding to a question on the level of preparedness for resumption after the expiration of the January 18 directive by the Federal Government for resumption.

Speaking on, he said, “Besides that, we are very ready. Don’t forget that during COVID-19, we wasted about five months at home. So, I don’t think anything now will make us not to resume. Even though there is this second wave, as teachers, we have known how to take precautions.

“As I speak, I cannot quote the states that are owing because we just started collecting the data, we have just written all the states to tell us the details about payment.

“But we have declared a strike in Abia State and so our teachers in Abia State commenced strike on Monday.

“Abia State is owing several months salaries of between 12 and 15 months for both primary and secondary schools and other various things they are owing.”

This post was written by Obiajulu Joel Nwolu.

The views expressed here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect our views and opinions.

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