NUT insists on joining ASUU strike Thursday if…as FG vows to address teachers’ shortage
The National Union of Teachers (NUT) has insisted on joining the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) after the expiration of its fortnight ultimatum which ends on Thursday, should the Federal Government not find a headway to end the strike.
President Goodluck Jonathan has vowed that his administration is determined to address teachers shortage in schools in the country, noting that government was aware that the crucial responsibilities of kindling inspiration, encouraging creative thinking, building strong moral character, and providing emotional support to pupils and students are all vested in teachers.
Represented by Vice President Namadi Sambo at the President’s Teachers’ and Schools’ Excellence Award ceremony to mark the 2013 World Teacher’s Day, Jonathan said the government was. with teachers in moulding future leaders and called on them to be focused on long term benefits of their profession.
The President announced that government had so far trained 40,000 teachers at the National Teachers' Institute (NTI), while the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) had expanded its support in the training of 5,000 lecturers across higher educational institutions.
The National President of NUT, Comrade Michael Olukoye, while fielding questions from newsmen at the event meant to appreciate the invaluable contributions of teachers to the advancement of the nation, advised the Federal Government to set up a team comprising the President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives and former presidents like Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and representatives of the Vice Chancellors to meet with ASUU and find a common ground to resolve the impasse, warning that failure of which they will shut down primary and secondary schools in the country to solidarise with their colleagues in the tertiary institutions.
The NUT President while commending the Federal Government for providing N130 billion out of the N400 billion demand of ASUU, said even though it has demonstrated good faith by this action, the past experiences of government reneging on its promises must have caused ASUU to stand its ground this time around, untill all demands are met.
Olukoye speaking more on the planned solidarity strike action said, “the National Executive Council of our great union met about nine days (10 days bytoday) ago wherein the state of the nation was perused. We discovered that the way and manner education is going in this country is not good and something proactive should be done to change it. So consequent upon that meeting, it was resolved that if in a fortnight the lingering problem between ASUU and federal government is not resolved, we should not hesitate to solidarise with them to ensure that education is properly footed, fitted and transformed”.
Asked if the union was going ahead despite meeting with federal government’s team, the NUT President said, “Yes, it continues. But let me say, immediately we gave that ultimatum the first person to invite us was the Minister of Labour and the Supervising Minister for Education, we met with them and they told us all that they have been able to do to put the matter behind us. We have not been able to meet with ASUU but we advised that if this people said they need about N400 billion and you have been able to provide N130 billion, well to all intent and purposes is a good beginning. But then ASUU members are academics, they are not fools, maybe their fear is that in the past people have been reneging on promises. So in order to now build the confidence into this new found love, NUT advises that they involve powerful voices in this country like the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representative, that will take care of the legislative arm. Past heads of state like Olusegun Obasanjo and Mr. President himself, including representatives of Vice Chancellors of universities because we cannot continue to stay at home.
“So this is what we told them and they promised us this week (last week) they are going to key into it and we are waiting. But that does not mean that we are no longer carrying out our action if by fortnight our students are still at home, sincerely speaking we shall shut all the schools, primary and secondary. It is high time we solidarise to ensure that the right thing is done at the appropriate time”.
The Kwara Governor, Abdulfatai Ahmed, who received NUT award for excellence in Education alongside his colleagues in Enugu State, Sullivan Chime and Yobe Governor, Ibrahim Gaidem, who were represented, has however appealed to the striking workers to show some understanding, even as he expresses confidence that the federal government will soon end the impasse.
Ahmed said, “I’m sure the federal government is looking at it critically to ensure all areas of dispute are brought to an understanding that will bring to an end the current dispute”.
The supervising Minister of Education, Nyosom Wike, was however shocked to hear that the NUT was going ahead with its strike despite talks.
He said, “they have said that (going on strike) before when we met with them and they saw reasons that there is need for us to work together. So if they say that they are going on strike I’m not aware of that because I know we have had discussions with them with minister of labour so it will be surprising to me if NUT say that they want to join the ASUU strike. I want to debunk that”.
On the latest efforts to end the strike, Wike said, “We are still talking and be rest assured that in no short a time you will ear good news like what we did yesterday with the Polytechnics. You of course know that they started their strike yesterday (Friday), infact after our meeting with the union they were very happy and they have gone back to talk with the National Executive Committee so that they will call off the strike. So I think we are meeting up with all what we have agreed with all the various unions, so just be patient, be rest assured that very soon we are meeting with ASUU with Vice President and we hope that at the end of the day after that meeting something positive will come out”.