Abia attempts emergency resolution as teachers prep for strike over pay scale

Abia has announced emergency measures to address the grievances of teachers in an effort to avert an indefinite strike.

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) had ordered its members to down tools as from April 24 over unmet demands.

Their grivances include the non-implementation of the Teacher Salary Structure (TSS) and the state’s failure to enforce a 65-year retirement age, among other policies.

The TSS is a specialised pay scale designed by the federal government in 2020 to ensure competitive remuneration for teachers, distinct from the general civil service salary scheme.

At a press briefing on Tuesday, Okey Kanu, Abia’s commissioner for information, acknowledged the concerns of the teachers.

He, however, accused the opposition of exaggerating the dispute for political gain.

“Some individuals are blowing this out of proportion,” Kanu said.

“This administration has consistently prioritised workers’ welfare. Salaries are paid on time and Abia was among the first states to implement the N70,000 minimum wage.”

He added that the state had already raised the retirement age for teachers from 60 to 65 and introduced incentives to lure back educators who had abandoned classrooms during past salary crises.

Despite the assurances, primary school teachers remain aggrieved over pay disparities with their junior secondary counterparts.

The NUT has insisted that negotiations have dragged on for too long without concrete resolutions.

Kanu said the commissioner for education is in talks with union leaders to prevent the strike but did not confirm if a deal had been reached.