Teachers on Wednesday threatened to embark on a
nationwide indefinite strike action, if the proposed Local
Government Autonomy and scrapping of the State Joint
Local Government Account sail through in the ongoing
constitutional amendment.
The union contended that granting LG autonomy would lead
to total collapse of primary education in Nigeria.
National President of NUT, Michael Olukoya, who briefed
newsmen at the end of the NEC meeting held at the NUT
headquarters, Abuja, urged the governors and State Houses
of Assembly to stoutly resist what he called the draconian
recommendation of the National Assembly for the scrapping
of the State Joint LG Accounts as contained in the Bill for an
Act to further alter the provision of the 1999 Constitution.
Olukoya said the implication of the LG autonomy was that
payment of teachers' salaries, pension contributory funds
and payment of retirees would be left in the hands of Local
Councils.
According to him, the development would be a great setback
to the efforts by the Federal and State Governments to
revamp primary education in the country.
He said, "The moment the constitutional amendment
process is concluded against the wishes of the Nigerian
teachers, we shall direct all schools in Nigeria to remain
closed.
"The mother of all strikes shall commence because we have
a responsibility to protect and defend our members."
The NUT President said it was unfortunate that the children
of the poor who are the majority voters have been denied
access to quality education while the children of public
officials who formulate various policies that caused the
decay in the education sector, are sent overseas.
He stated that the near collapse of primary education
between 1990 and 1994, when Primary Education came
under the control of the LGs, was still very fresh in the
memory.
.
0 Comments: