Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State

By Jethro Ibileke/Benin

As schools across the country re-open for academic activities on Monday, January 18, public primary school pupils in Edo State will be staying back at home, as teachers in the state have warned all parents to keep their children and wards away from schools.

The teachers under the auspices of Edo Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), State Council, gave the warning in a notice of commencement of an indefinite strike, beginning from Monday.

In a communique issued at the end of its enlarged State Wing Executive Council (SWEC), in Benin City on Tuesday 12th, January, 2021, NUT noted that the indefinite strike was as a result of the failure of the state government to meet its 10-points age-long demands, after the expiration of the 21-day and 14-day ultimatums earlier issued to the state government.

The communiqué was signed by Pius Okhueleigbe, State Chairman, Moni Mike Modesty Itua, Assistant Secretary-General and three others.

The communiqué directed “all public primary school heads and teachers in the eighteen local government areas of Edo State should unfailingly embark on an indefinite strike action from 12:00 am (early morning) of Monday 18th January, 2012, and ensure that all teaching and learning tools in their possessions are completely put in off-mode.”

The teachers commended the Education Committee of the State House of Assembly, Controller of Labour, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment and the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), for their interventionist attempts.

They however expressed dismay over the glaring and persistent non-nonchalant attitude of the state government by not initiating attempts at meeting with the union during the period of the ultimatums to dialogue on the issues.

This is even as they advised school-heads and parents to disregard any form of propaganda, blackmail, announcements, pronouncements and intimidation against the “lawful decisions”of the union for the period of the strike from any quarter.

The union, however, called on all lovers of education, well-meaning citizens and institutions in the state to prevail on the state government to meet the demands of the union.