Sensor Newspaper

Nigeria Union of Teachers(NUT) in Cross River state says it has not abandon the option to commence a strike action as a protest over the sack of 924 teachers

in the state last month if the Government fails to implement its demand.

It however said it has compelled the government to set up a committee to revisit the issue.The committee is headed by permanent secretary in the Education ministry with its hierachy in the committee.
The Nigerian Union of Teachers [NUT] in the state had issued a-21 day ultimatum to the Liyel Imoke administration to reinstate the affected teachers or risk indefinite strike. The ultimatum expired penultimate Thursday.
But while the ultimatum lasted, the state Ministry of Education went into negotiations with leaders of the union whereupon it was revealed to them that government's action became necessary since most of those affected refused to heed government advice in 2006 to acquire higher certificates to qualify to teach in primary schools of the state in line with the Cross River State standards in education.
Chief Press Secretary to Governor Imoke, Mr. Patrick Ugbe who commented on the development said that the exercise was carefully carried out as only those who defaulted in having at least the National Certificate of Education [NCE] to teach in primary school or had attained the retirement age were affected.
According to him, it is true that the screening exercise on those qualified to teach was carried out in 2006 by the Donald Duke administration, but government can not understand why after four years, teachers with only Grade Two certificates could not further their education. This was in addition to the number of years earlier given them to upgrade their academic qualifications.
Ugbe revealed that''in all the meetings leaders of the union held with the Commissioner for Education, Professor Offiong E Offiong, these facts were laid bare before them hence the union has found itself in the current predicament. Both the government and the union are still talking. A compromise will soon be reached'', he added.  
He however added that  the state government has since last year been recruiting new qualified teachers, hence it was not true that government was firing without hiring just as many teachers across the state have been employed.
''Though government has been appealing to the teachers and even using some respected traditional rulers in the state to talk them out of it, most of the teachers are not ready to listen'' as the sack has left some primary schools with just three or two teachers , thus putting such teachers left under pressure.
The Sensor reports that following this retrenchment, some communities have resorted to hiring auxillary teachers for their schools. Some of these new teachers are ill-trained and lack the basic qualification for teaching as announced by government. The implication is that education at the primary level is in serious crisis in the state.
The absence of Governor Imoke from the state following his auto accident at the Obudu Ranch Resort means the state Ministry of Education can not conclusively negotiate with the teachers. The governor is said to be out of the country for orthopaedic treatment having injured his right hand in the mid night crash.
Ever since the teachers issued the strike notice, series of meetings have been held between them and government with each not resolving on the vexed matter of sack.
The state government called the meetings following the union's resolve to destabilize the educational system over the recent decision of government to compulsorily retire 924 teachers.
The government had alleged poor performance on the part of the teachers following a screening exercise it conducted in 2006, but the union in its reaction gave government a 21 day ultimatum to rescind its decision or “risk collapse of the educational system”.
The meeting was to get the NUT's support for the mass retirement as the state commissioner for education, Professor Offiong E. Offiong, was said to have told the union to soft pedal on their alleged plan to embark on a possible industrial action to press home their demand.
But NUT chairman, Comrade Njom Ojang Nyambi who led the union's delegation to all the meetings  held at the Ministry of Education headquarters in Calabar said while the union is calling for a reversal of the decision of government to sack the 924 teachers, it is equally urging the government to reconsider the case of the affected teachers as most of them may have improved on their academic qualifications since 2006.
Comrade Nyambi said the union desires to be part of the committee that will re-examine the academic papers of their affected colleagues so as to ensure fairness as the sack was done without consideration for new certificates acquired.
Before now, he had vowed saying "this strike is indefinite because industrial action is the only language the state government understands. If we do not show our disapproval through this strike option, more teachers will be sacked under different guise.
"We sympathise with the pupils whose education will be interripted. We appeal to parents and guardians to show understanding as government's action if not checked, will lead to another round of retrenchment in the civil service".

Bookmark with: