Comrade Adedoyin Samson Tojuade is the incumbent chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Oyo State Wing. In this interview, he spoke to MODUPE GEORGE about current developments in the state’s education sector among other issues.
It has been three years since you have been steering the ship of NUT in Oyo state, tell us how you feel?
God has been helping us. We have started well and I believe we have been doing our utmost best to make sure we fight for the benefits and welfare of our members, which is the primary aim of the union. We have been doing that and our members have been appreciating our efforts. This has equally given us more strength to move forward and to see that most of our benefits and rights are got from government. So that’s the situation right now.
It’s been quite a while since NUT and the government had a misunderstanding in the state, should it be taken that your union is happy with the current administration?
Definitely, the NUT is happy compared with what we experienced in the past. The present administration has touched so many aspects of our lives, though we still have some challenges. We believe that with the way the government has started with us, things will augur well for education and teachers in the state.
Coming from you, can we share in some of these past situations and experiences?
It will be recalled that about two years ago when the current administration assumed office, we were on strike because the last government did not treat us well. For instance, then, our salaries, most especially at the primary level, were paid in arrears when other workers in the state were paid promptly. This did not only affect the aspect of salary alone but other entitlements, like leave bonus and so on, were being owed.
When the new government came on board, the union was invited to know our grievances; we listed out all our grievances and the payment of salary arrears were immediately approved. To the glory of God today, both the primary and secondary school teachers are getting their salaries as and when due like all other workers.
Not only that, the current administration also promised to increase the education allocation from less than 10 per cent to over 20 per cent, which has given education a face lift in the state. The government has been printing exercise books for secondary school students and has even bought text books and past questions to assist the SSS3 students who are writing WASSCE and NECO. We have started seeing the result of this new development because Oyo State has moved up to the 11th position from its usual 27/28th position in WAEC ranking. We believe the narrative will be better this year. Many buildings have been renovated in some of our schools, though we have others yet to be done. This government means well for the development of education in Oyo State. No doubt, there are still other challenges, but we can say we are in a better position, compared to what we have passed through in the last 10 years.
What is the situation right now?
First and foremost, our salary is now regular, we are sure of having our salaries on or before 25th of every month, and as a result of that, we can plan for whatever we want to do. Even, most of the banks are now looking for teachers to get loans because they know that our salary is regular. This will shock you, we are paid on the 23rd whenever 25th falls on either Saturday or Sunday. For example, 25th of April fell on a Sunday and by Friday 23rd, we had all received our salaries.
Has this really brought about any change in the lackadaisical disposition teachers in the public schools are known for when it comes to discharging their duties effectively?
A hungry man, they say, is an angry man. Definitely, we can’t have someone who has not got anything to eat in the morning to give his\her best in the classroom. However, with the positive change, there has been a lot of improvement in the way teachers go about their job. They are now more alive to discharging their responsibilities, and they are giving their very best. An indication to this is what I said earlier about the position of the state in WAEC ranking. We are actually targeting the third position. We believe with the current government, and the effort of our members, that position is attainable.
What are some of the challenges you have noted are yet to be addressed by the government?
The government has been trying, there is no doubt about that, but there are still some challenges and most of these challenges are in the primary school level. For instance, the government has printed exercise books and text books for the secondary schools, but not yet for the primary schools. However, many of our parents believe that what the government is doing in the secondary schools should be replicated also at primary level. Also, furniture has been provided in the secondary schools, it has not been extended to the primary level.
Although the government has given the reasons behind all the shortcomings, we are yet to have substantive chairmen at the local government level. We have the caretaker chairmen who the law does not recognise. So, there is little or nothing they can do to address some of these challenges.
To us this is a challenge because most of the parents expected that whatever is being done at the secondary level should be replicated at the primary. Most of the parents no longer buy textbooks and furniture for their children. In some primary schools today, pupils are sitting on the bare floor, so it’s a big problem.
Equally on the part of teachers, while at secondary level, the leave bonus for 2021 has been paid, at the primary level, we are still awaiting that of 2020. All of these things are what will boost the morale of teachers.
The governor has approved the promotion of workers up to level 17 at the secondary school level, whereas at the primary school level we are agitating that it should also be replicated.
The battle over Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools’ (ASUSS) registration has been on for some time now, what is your take on the issue?
ASUSS to us in NUT is a non-issue. The case is still in court. The ruling of January 20, 2021 of the Supreme Court stated clearly that the case should be referred back to the Appeal Court for proper jurisdiction. And I want to say it here that the real case has not even started. The case referred back to the Court of Appeal is on the issue of jurisdiction over whether the federal high court which is the lower court in this case, has the jurisdiction or not.
So I don’t know where our people got the idea that they have won the case; that they are now a union and can unionise. So to us, it is a non issue, it is a court case and we believe in the law of the land. ASUSS is not a registered association because there is only a union which is NUT. The NUT is the only recognised union that is registered to unionise teachers both in the primary and secondary schools.
Over the years, there have been complaints that public schools in the state are under staffed because retired teachers are not replaced with new ones?
I can proudly say that the staff strength and position in our schools in Oyo State has changed for the better. The government recently employed 5,000 teachers to fill those vacancies in our schools and we want to give kudos to the governor in the sense that the process of the recruitment was so transparent. It was not based on political consideration as it used to be, it is who you are academically. We witnessed the process of CBT examination conducted for all the applicants at the UI CBT centre. The candidates were about sixty thousand. The cut off mark was 50 per cent which the recruitment committee strictly adhered to.
Immediately the results were released only those who made 50 per cent and above were invited and in a bid to reduce the number of applicants, an oral interview was also conducted. The union was part of all the entire process. So, we know the teachers who have been employed and that the employment was based on merit. We believe that they will all deliver. The newly employed teachers have been assigned to all the schools in the state.
Two of your members are now on the board of both TESCOM and SUBEB, what does that spell for the union?
We thank God; it is a dream come true and a plus for this government. The law that sets up SUBEB and TESCOM provides that the NUT will have a member representing it. But all along, the law has just been there without it being implemented. We raised the issue with the government and since it is legal binding, it was approved. Now we have a member representing us in TESCOM and a member representing us in SUBEB. The essence of this is that we will be part of the decision-making. When we have members representing us at these levels before any major policy is decided upon, the interest of our members will be duly protected.
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