Parents lament prolonged closure of primary schools in FCT
Many parents have expressed concern over the prolonged closure of primary schools across the six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), following declaration of strike action by the Local Education Authority (LEA) teachers.
Last week, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) directed all primary school teachers across the six area councils to shut down all the primary schools after the 14-day-ultimatum issued to the six area council chairmen elapsed without responds from them to their demands.
The striking teachers are demanding the remaining 60 per cent of 25 months minimum wage arrears owing them as well as other benefits.
Some parents who spoke with newsmen on Tuesday said the strike had caused serious setbacks to pupils and the parents as the children are now at home doing nothing.
READ ALSO: Teachers in FCT declare strike, point finger at Wike for inaction on demands
A parent, Mrs Zainab Ibrahim, said her four children, who were all in primary school, now play around, doing nothing since the strike commenced last week.
She said, “I am seriously worried since the strike commenced last week, my children always play around. And even when I tried to engage them with a home teacher, they don’t stay at home as they go about, especially the two male children who go around to play football and only return home whenever they are hungry or when night is approaching. The situation is even worst for me because their father works outside Abuja and not around.’’
She appealed to the FCT administration to, as a matter of urgency, wade in to resolve the issue between the teachers and the council chairman so that pupils will return to school.
Another parent, Usman Kabiru, also expressed displeasure with the strike even as he blamed the council chairmen for failing to meet up with the demands of the teachers.
He said sending pupils back with nothing to do has negative effects on them and the parents, adding that, ‘’It will have negative effects on the parents because some of these children may end up hawking while some of them may constitute a nuisance to society.”
It was observed that all the government-owned schools in the capital city remained closed with their classrooms under lock and key.
The LEA primary schools in Gwagwalada, Kwali, Kuje, Kubwa and Abaji were all shut.
A teacher of one of the primary schools, Mr Israel Abednego, said the teachers would not resume classes until all the entitlements and other arrears were paid by the six area council chairmen.
He said, “At least, I had expected the six area council chairmen to appreciate the FCT minister Nyemso Wike for intervening in paying 40 percent of the 25 months minimum wage arrears owed them, while the chairmen who had agreed in the presence of the minister that they will pay, ended failing to pay.”
Reacting, the chairman of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) in the FCT, Alhaji Usman Abubakar, expressed concern over the strike, saying the strike action might have some effects on the children, who have been home for awhile now.
He stressed on the need for stakeholders in the education sector to wade into the crisis in the interest of the children.
He said, “Children are the future of tomorrow and allowing them to remain at home when others are in school will not be good.’’
As the strike continues with no end in sight, the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in the FCT has directed all the non-teaching staff in primary schools across the six area councils to join.
NULGE secretary in the FCT, Comrade Abdulmumin Sa’ad, said the decision to join the strike was in solidarity with the teachers who are protesting non payment of their allowances and other entitlements by the council chairmen.
He said, “In solidarity, the FCT NULGE chapter has directed all the non-teaching staff of the LEAs across the six area councils to join the ongoing primary school teachers’ strike from midnight September 30, 2024.’’
The chairman of Kwali area council, who is also the FCT ALGON chairman, Danladi Chiya, did not respond to calls or text messages sent to him on the development.
Proofreading and Editing by Gift Luckson and Hafsat Aleeyu Muye, Editor at Neptune Prime
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