FCT: Primary school teachers in Kuje begin strike over ‘outstanding entitlements’

Primary school teachers in Kuje area council in the federal capital territory (FCT) have embarked on an indefinite strike.

According to NAN, Audu Lucky, chairperson of the teachers’ association in Kuje, announced this in a statement on Tuesday.

The strike, which began on Monday, followed the alleged failure by the Kuje area council chairman to reach agreement with the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT).

Lucky said teachers in Kuje will not suspend the strike until their demands are met by Abdullahi Sabo, executive chairman of Kuje area council.

“The union observed with dismay the non compliance by the council chairman to address the backlog of the Local Education Authority (LEA) teachers’ outstanding entitlements,” he said.

The Kuje branch chairman for the teachers’ association said the union earlier sent a letter to Sabo conveying the ultimatum to address its demands.

He also said members from Kuje branch and state organs of the union requested to meet with the council chairman but he declined the request.

Lucky said the demands of teachers in Kuje include the payment of salaries to 2018 recruited teachers whose salaries were abruptly stopped by the council chairman in September 2022.

Other issues cited included the “submission of the agreed template of payment of LEA teacher’s arrears to the JAAC secretariat and continuation of the payment to concerned teachers; payment of salary to 2022 reabsorbed teachers, who have been working through January to December 2022 without salary”.

Lucky said the branch has directed all primary school teachers in the area to stay away from their duty posts.

Parents have also been advised to keep their children at home.

Sabo is yet to address the issue as of the time of this report.

But speaking on the matter, Alhassan Sule, FCT chairman of the Universal Education Board (UBEC), said the board is doing everything to resolve the crisis.

“I was telling the chairman that he should not allow only his local government to experience such an unfortunate situation,” he said.

”We are on top of the situation and we will soon convene a meeting between the union, the area council, and the board with a view to finding plausible solutions to the problem.

”Education is very crucial as it is the foundation of every development and the FCT is not handling it with kid gloves.

“Education is the foundation of everything in life. Keeping these children at home is very dangerous.”