Education
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The federal government colleges in the country has resumed classes after the Nigerian Union of Teachers suspended its industrial action last week
| By Fidelia Salami | Nov. 3, 2014 @ 01:00 GMT |
LIFE has returned to the 104 federal government colleges in the country following the suspension of the 26-day industrial action by the Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT last week. Realnews reports that parents are returning their children and wards to school after union leaders suspended the strike because they had concluded negotiations with the federal ministry of education.
On Friday, October 17, an SMS was sent to parents of Federal Government Girl’s College, FGGC, Sagamu, Ogun State, to notify them of a new resumption date. The text read: “Dear Parents, Resumption now is Sunday, October 19, 10am – 6pm (SS1-3), Monday October 20 (JS 2 and 3), Thursday 23 (JS 1). All bills to be paid (School and PTA) before admittance, Signed management.’
At the FGGC, Sagamu parents had a hectic time completing the registration procedure of their children who are boarders for the new academic session. They were seen moving from one point to another to collect the school official receipt for the bank draft for school fees and obtain the necessary clearance before handing their children back to the school authorities. Before entering the school premises, nurses were seen checking the temperature of both parents and their wards with test kits. There were hand sanitisers in strategic places for the returnees and their parents who also patronised the tuck shop to buy provisions for their children.
Both parents and students of the unity schools, who spoke with Realnews, expressed joy over the suspended strike.
Precious Mercy Ene-Etuk, an 11-year-old junior secondary two student in the Federal Government Girls’ College, Sagamu, Ogun State, said she was happy that NUT suspended their strike and glad to be back in school after a long holiday at home. She said since July 25, when school vacated for third term she had been at home. Although she thanked her mother who organised a home teacher for her during the holiday, she disliked the way and manner government runs education in the country.
“We were supposed to resume school for this term on September 13, before the Ebola Virus Disease started. I followed up the Ebola issue every time on news hoping that school would resume soon. Then government postponed our resumption date to October 13 in order to fight Ebola. Thereafter, the resumption date was brought forward to September 21. After preparation for me to resume, in fact, the very day I was to go back to school was when another announcement came that the NUT had embarked on strike.
“I feel happy that NUT suspended their strike action and we have resumed classes. Although there will be so much rush in our academics and this will definitely affect our learning ability and level of assimilation. There is time for everything, and this is the time for us to study,” she said.
Although Beatrice Omeonu, a parent and a business woman was happy that NUT suspended the strike, but she is scared of the rumours that they may continue the strike after two weeks if federal government fails to meet NUT demands.
The NUT had gone on strike to protest the inability of the federal government to pay the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, their promotion arrears from 2007 to 2010, including other multi-dimensional problems. Previous meetings between ASCSN National Exco and various federal government representatives ended in a deadlock. NUT have finally suspended their industrial action since the federal government released the sum of N52 million to pay accrued arrears to teachers in batches. However, negotiation is still on as other allowances are still pending.
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