FG’s no-work-no-pay rule is an attempt to create fear —Olukoya, NUT president

President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Comrade Michael Alogba-Olukoya, in this interview by LAOLU HAROLDS, speaks on the no-work-no-pay rule, union’s stand on local government autonomy, and the competency test recently organised for Kaduna State teachers, among other issues.

The quality of teachers in public schools was recently called to question in Kaduna State when teachers allegedly failed a test meant for Primary 4 pupils. What is your take on that event, and what should be done about quality of teachers in schools today?

First and foremost, let me thank most especially the Nigerian Tribune for always being at the vanguard of education in this country. Now, the drama that is ongoing in Kaduna, I want to describe it as naked dance in the market place. First and foremost, I want to register my own personal displeasure and that of my organisation with the approach of the state government towards conducting that test. It is not in tandem with the laws of this country. The position of the law as regards supervision of instruction, regulation of teaching and so on lies very squarely with the Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN). My argument could sound academic, but that is the position of the law as far as teaching is concerned in this country. But let us leave that; without being immodest, we should stop chasing shadows in this country. You’re there now blaming teachers, my first question is: how were they employed? I remember in this country, some states would engage people through academic exercise; questions would be administered before people were employed. Was this done at the point of entry in Kaduna State? I believe this so-called test was out to witchhunt, embarrass or cause unnecessary distraction; because I’m aware that in Kaduna State today nothing is working.

Salaries are not being paid, primary schools are suffering. Let us know the status of these teachers. How old are they in the system? Have they not been gaining promotion?

What I think the government of Kaduna should do, if it truly wants to take education to the next level, is, one, ensure that at the point of entry, qualified people are engaged to teach. Two, what roles have their ministry of education or supervisors (inspectors) been playing? I feel so bad that the government of Kaduna is just trying to cause unnecessary distraction. I think they should put a stop to all this unnecessary propaganda, sit down and think about the future of these innocent children. Then, the government itself should provide the necessary wherewithal. One thing is for you to know what you should do; another thing is for the wherewithal to be provided. I want to challenge the governor: you might be building schools, but what about capacity development? When last did that state government organise a seminar/workshop for its teachers – the original one, not on paper?

I’m glad you mentioned supervision. It’s been observed repeatedly that teachers in public schools are not committed to their profession. They engage in commercial activities when they should teach. Would you say supervision has been thorough in schools today?

Supervision has not been thorough. I also know that for every 12 disciples of Jesus Christ, there is always one Judas Iscariot; but tell me, when last did you see vehicles carrying inspectors from one place to another? And you expect these people to write reports! Many of these reports are manufactured. In the past, school supervisors (the ones we called inspectors) would leave their homes for the schools. By that time, all necessary wherewithal was provided. Today, they would want these inspectors to use their own vehicles or go on motorcycles to perform this duty. That is why results will not be forthcoming.

There has been agitation for local government autonomy, and it appears it just might be achieved soon. Now, teachers are not particularly comfortable with basic schools’ administration remaining under local governments. What is NUT doing about this?

When I was in the primary school, I used to hear that experience was the best teacher; but as I grew up, I began to observe that history, not experience, is the best teacher. The government of Nigeria tried in the past to put the administration of primary schools under the local government. It recorded abysmal failure. During this period, salaries of teachers were not paid; infrastructure was zero; nothing moved as far as that sector was concerned. That was what prompted the government to have a rethink. At the end of the day, the National Primary Education Commission was established. It was like magic. Things started to work; normalcy returned. No more strikes in Bauchi, Sokoto, Cross River or Ogun states. But all of a sudden, under this our pseudo-democratic dispensation, some people said they would not like that. Before you knew it, they established (what do you call it?) the Joint Account. They established the State Universal Basic Education Board. It had been working; but in the recent past, because 2019 is coming, people are now saying that they want autonomy. Well, we (NUT) are not opposed to it, but primary education must not be tied to the so-called autonomy.

We have always premised our arguments on many fronts. One, there was this Supreme Court judgment of 2002 which ruled that primary education administration must be that of the states. We either go by that Supreme Court judgment and remove primary education administration from the apron strings of local governments or go back to what worked in the past – re-establish Primary Education Commission. As we speak now, we have the Universal Basic Education Commission which takes care of the affairs of primary education throughout Nigeria. Let the issue of primary education be faced at first charge; that would end all this trouble. But if they should go ahead; if today they say local government autonomy has come to stay and that primary education will go with it, there is an open-ended directive to all the states in the federation that teachers should down tools immediately.

Go and see what is happening in Kaduna, go to Benue, go to Kogi, go to Nasarawa, Bayelsa – all these states I’ve mentioned said they would not be able to augment allocation to the local government; and that what is available is what they would use to pay primary school teachers. So, I don’t know why people are trying to bite off more than they can chew. We remain resolute: if they go ahead, we shall give it fight-for-fight; no going back on that. The NUT is not opposed to autonomy for local government; but if primary education is attached to it, we shall fight it to the last drop of our blood.

The Federal Government recently activated the no-work-no-pay rule to discourage strikes in all sectors. In all sincerity, what would you say is wrong in that decision?

Employment is a contract. Why are people always talking about when workers go on strike? One thing must lead to the other; workers cannot just wake up one day and decide to embark on strike; something must have happened. If the employer does its part, the employee will not have a cause to go on strike. I have mentioned some states to you. Look at Benue State, for the past months, primary school teachers there have been on strike because of unpaid salaries. And if you ask them (government), they will tell you that the wage bill is too much. Why is it that when it comes to the issue of workers they complain of wage bill? What about these multifarious appointments that are not needed? What about the fleet of cars that are not needed that they acquire and maintain? The pronouncement of no-work-no-pay by PMB (President Muhammadu Buhari) and his government is meant to create unnecessary fear; but Labour will give it back to them. We are not going to be cowed; we can never be discouraged.

Many children still learn under unimaginable conditions in some states: some on bare floor, without desks, in classes without roofs or under trees; but people say that the NUT does not call strikes for these, but always for teachers’ welfare. How do you respond to this?

It is very easy to make an allegation. You were there on October 5 in Abuja during the World Teachers’ Day, we drew the attention of the entire world to the pitiable working conditions of teachers. I even told everybody that was there to cast their minds to the school they attended during their youth and tell me the conditions then and now and make the comparison – including you that is asking me this question; the school you attended, go and look at the infrastructure now. It is not the teachers alone that should be making the noise. We (teachers) have been doing the talking at every opportunity. What about the parents? We have always told people: don’t allow politicians to blindfold you; say it the way it is. NUT has been making noise, but we want our efforts to be complemented by other stakeholders in education – parents, civil societies, old students associations, corporate organizations. I have equally said this that government cannot provide everything; enough of free education. Bring about modified free education. Let the parents participate. There is economic recession, and you are saying you want to provide free this, free that, and your economy cannot shoulder it. Let other stakeholders join in the train of this public education.