MINNA — NIGERIA Union of Teachers (NUT) Niger State wing has kicked against the move by the state government to transfer the payment of primary school teachers’ salaries and allowances to local government councils.
The union which made its stand known during a courtesy call on the state governor, Engineer Abdulkadir Kure at Government House Minna yesterday, said if the step is taken, “it will throw the entire teaching and non teaching staff of primary schools into yet another slavery of labour.”
State chairman of the union, Comrade Tsalhe Ibrahim Kagara who led his executive members to the government reminded the state government of the “horrible experience” teachers had in the past when their salaries were being handled by the local government when their salaries were not paid for months.
“Any attempt to return the system to these dark days will no doubt spell doom for education, so we wish to plead for caution in the interest of teachers, pupils and our educational system in the state,” the NUT pleaded.
Comrade Ibrahim Kagara reminded the state government that the law that established the National Primary Education Commission was backed up by decree 31 during the Babangida regime adding that, “the handing over of the management and funding of primary education to the local government council is the worst policy of any government in the history of education in Nigeria and a mockery to the national policy on education.”
The NUT chairman also seized the opportunity to inform the governor of the poor management of schools in the state pointing out that no fewer than 120 pupils are concentrated in one class in most primary schools instead of between 30-40 and therefore called on the governor to renovate the dilapidated ones. Similarly, the State Pension Board led by its chairman, Alhaji Saidu Anache also stormed the government house to kick against the decentralisation of the Joint Account by the state government.
The chairman during the courtesy call told the governor that the Board is vehemently opposed to the step being taken by the state government to transfer the settlement of their pension to the local government councils.
Governor Kure while responding to the two bodies said the issue of Joint Account had become so sensitive as the government is being accused of pilfering into the account of the councils.
He promised that their demands will be looked into carefully to know the final positions.
