El-Rufai threatens to sack teachers who embark on strike

The administration of Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna, has threatened to fire any teacher who embarks on strike.

This is as a result of the directive of the state chapter of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) that its members should stay off work from Monday.

The union asked teachers to protest the sack of over 20,000 of their colleagues who failed a competency test in 2017.

In a statement on Sunday, Samuel Aruwan, spokesman of the governor, described the directive as illegal.

Aruwan said the state government would not be blackmailed into retaining unqualified teachers.

He said the registers would be opened at schools and any teacher that is absent from work would be dealt with according to public service rules.

“The Kaduna state government wishes to inform the public that it has instructed its education administrators to open registers in all its schools, starting from Monday, 8th January 2018,” the statement read.

“Any teacher that is absent from work will be treated with the consequences that pertain to absconding from duty under the public service rules.

“There can be no doubt that KDSG will take firm and decisive disciplinary action against personnel who absent themselves from duty, including dismissal from service.

“This is an illegal action, and will not achieve its aim of derailing the education reforms being implemented by the government.

“The Kaduna state government is not available to be blackmailed into knowingly retaining unqualified teachers. Neither would it mortgage the future of two million primary school pupils because failed teachers are shamelessly mobilising sentiment.

“KDSG recalls that the NUT placed primary school pupils, who are the victims of failing teachers, in danger by pushing them into the streets to demonstrate for the retention of bad teachers.

“That ruse failed. Some union leaders are also likely to be prosecuted for assault, unlawful procession and destruction of public property when they attacked the state house of assembly.”