FCT teachers chase pupils out of class over minimum wage

As schools resumed after weeks of COVID-19 lockdown in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), teachers, yesterday, chased out pupils over alleged partial implementation of the new minimum wage.

The tutors, who spoke under the aegis of the FCT Council of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), insisted on full payment before the learning institutions could resume.

They claimed: “The area council chairmen in the FCT have refused to implement the national minimum wage as well as payment of our arrears.”At the LEA Primary School, Kubwa that also houses the Junior Secondary School, The Guardian observed that the pupils were dismissed as early as 8:00a.m., except for the latter that got entrance on account of earlier defrayment of their wage and arrears by the FCT Administration (FCTA).

Chairman of the union, Stephen Knabayi, had last month, directed members to shun work when schools reopen. He had hinged his call on the “failure” of the six area councils to pay the full money and tow the path of the FCTA.

The authorities, on October 8, fixed yesterday for resumption of academic activities, outlawing third term and warning private schools against demanding fees for it.

The FCT Minister, Muhammad Musa Bello, had also ordered institutions with boarding facilities to open a day earlier.

Besides, the FCTA has threatened sanction for private school owners insisting on collecting third term fees. Chairman, FCT Secondary Education Board (SEB), Yahaya Mohammed, gave the warning yesterday during inspection of schools for the 2020/2021 academic.

MEANWHILE, students of the Polytechnic, Ibadan have staged a peaceful protest against “faulty portals and inability to complete registration for the first semester examination holding soon.”

The march, which began yesterday at 7:00a.m. and led to blockade of all major entrances within the institution, was moderated by the Nigerian Army, police, Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) to forestall any form of violence.

Some of the protesters accused the management of placing personal gains above their welfare, claiming that only 40 per cent of them had completed the process.
They called on the Oyo State government to intervene before the matter snowballs.

Reacting, the polytechnic’s public relations officer (PRO), Soladoye Adewole, blamed the students for “trivialisng” the five months earlier given by management for them to complete their registration.He added that a grace of one week, expiring next Monday, had been given for the 2019/2020 first semester examinations to commence.