TEACHERS in primary schools supervised by the local government areas in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) embarked on an indefinite strike because area council chairmen refused to listen to their demands.
Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) FCT chapter Stephen Knabayi disclosed this in an exclusive interview with The ICIR on Friday.
The union, which had earlier engaged in a 5-day warning strike, has declared an indefinite strike in the primary schools controlled by the local council areas.
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Knabayi said the union decided to direct the primary school teachers to embark on an indefinite strike due to lack of concern shown by the area council chairmen towards the teachers’ demand for payment of promotion arrears and other entitlements.
He explained that the union had examined the commitment and assurances of the FCT Administration to effect the payment of arrears of secondary school teachers in November and December, and subsequently directed the secondary school teachers to resume classes across the FCT on November 25.
“As I speak to you now, we are on an indefinite strike in the local government areas but we have called off the FCT strike due to the FCT minister’s commitment. He has shown serious commitment.”
Knabayi further appealed to parents of pupils affected by the strike to bear with the union.
“If there is anyone to talk to now, it is the parents of the children. They should please understand and bear with us, what we are doing is for the good of the teachers and children,” he said.
The FCT NUT chairman said there was no official communication from the local council chairmen towards resolving the impasse.
Knabayi promised that the union would make up for all the lost time when the strike is called off.
The ICIR reported that FCT teachers embarked on a 5-day warning strike to press home demands for enhanced security in schools and payment of arrears of promotion benefits for teachers.
A reporter with the ICIR
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