Posted by In protest over the N30,000 minimum pay and promotion arrears, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has threatened to begin an indefinite strike in Bayelsa’s public elementary and secondary schools.
After a three-day warning strike failed to persuade the Bayelsa Government to act, the union’s executive board made the decision on October 12.
Educators across the state had given the state administration and municipal councils 14 days to address their concerns or face the prospect of strike action.
The NUT claims that both the state and municipal governments have failed to address its concerns on the N30,000 minimum pay and the advancement of elementary school teachers in the state.
Teachers, according to the union, were put through hell because they weren’t paid for their promotion back pay.
The National Education Association (NUT) is frustrated by the government’s indifference to the condition of teachers despite the government’s repeated attempts to address their concerns in various forums.
It said that the state’s elementary and secondary school teachers had been humiliated and frustrated by the government’s attitude.
It stated that the 14-day ultimatum began on October 13 and that if the issues weren’t resolved within that time frame, teachers across the state will go on strike.
The strike notice was ratified by NUT’s eight local government chapters in Bayelsa.
After the conference, the union leaders from LG all signed a statement.
Dr. Gentle Emelah, the Bayelsa Commissioner for Education, has not returned calls or mails seeking comment from the state’s administration.
Bayelsa schools were evacuated on August 29 in anticipation of a flood, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), and are scheduled to reopen on November 13.