Primary school teachers in Edo State, on Wednesday, issued a 21-day ultimatum to the state government to fulfil all its outstanding entitlements and improve its condition of services or face industrial action.
The state’s chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) which issued the ultimatum in a 10 -point communique issued at the end of its enlarged meeting held in Benin City, added that the 21-day ultimatum took effect from Tuesday, December 8, 2020.
The communique dated Tuesday, December 8, 2020, and was endorsed by Pius Okhueliegbe, the State, Chairman, Moni Mike Itua, Assistant Secretary-General and three other persons, condemned what it termed the seemingly nonchalant attitude of Edo State Government to genuinely address the union’s age-long demands.
According to the communique, “SWEC- in-session in its December 8, 2020, enlarged meeting deliberated on issues of education, teachers welfare, conditions of service, entitlements and disciplinary matters in Edo State as well as the actions and inactions of the state government and some of its managers of education.”
“During the painstaking deliberations, SWEC- in- session noted with utmost dismay, the seemingly nonchalant attitude of Edo State Government to genuinely address the union’s age-long demands and appeals of the union on matters that are of rights,” the communique read in part.
The union lamented that the demands and appeals it made, both diplomatically and through collective bargaining processes in the past were still not attended to by the government.
“The SWEC- in- session also carried out an appraisal of the high handedness and reckless use of official powers on primary school heads and teachers by Edo SUBEB and its officials in the state vis-a-vis the happening in Esan North-East Local Government Area between the Acting Education Secretary of the local government and members of the union,” it added.
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The teacher’s body listed some of the demands to include the payment of 2013 to 2015 promotion arrears of teachers in Oredo, Orhionnwon and Uhunmwode Local Government Areas, full implementation of the 30 per cent Special Allowance for teachers in schools for challenged children and payment of all arrears.
It also listed the reinforcement and guaranteed payment of primary school teachers monthly salaries, on or before 27 of every month as already directed by the governor of Edo State and payment of all schools monthly subventions deducted and remitted to the coffers of SUBEB by the 18 local government councils since April 2020 till date to school heads for the administration of their schools.
The union called on the teachers in the state to remain calm, mobilise for indefinite strike action and wait for further directives at the expiration of the ultimatum issued to the state government.