Nigeria: Teachers strike demands better wages

The 11 Nigerian states targeted for the strike are: Cross River, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Ogun, Edo, Kogi, Niger, Borno, Benue, Zamfara and Sokoto.

Public authorities must keep their promises

“Teachers will embark on a painful strike, and the strike will continue until authorities meet the union’s demands,” said NUT President Michael Olukoya at a press briefing on 30 May.

“We have sufficiently exploited the opportunities that negotiation offers, it has failed; dialogue and conciliation through the federal authorities have not been granted by these State governments. We hoped this action by the union would open their ears and produce a change in their hardened hearts. We have called on our respective States’ branches to mobilise our teachers towards a successful strike action to restore teachers’ integrity and honour at this time. The battle motto is ‘No retreat, No surrender’.”

He further described the targeted states’ action as “derelict, unpatriotic and self-serving”.

NUT also condemned the fact that these specific 11 states have denied their teachers particular allowances, whilst implementing minimum wages for other workers’ categories, and deliberately ruling out teachers.

EI: Improving educators’ conditions leads to quality education

EI has backed the NUT’s efforts. “We support our Nigerian colleagues in their struggle to ensure decent living and working conditions,” EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen said. “EI urges the country’s Government to immediately engage in good-faith negotiations with organisations representing educators and listen to their demands. This way, it will be able to improve teachers’ conditions and achieve quality education for all in the country.”

[Tue, 11 Jun 2013 14:39:50 +0000] | DIGG THIS