Resume work Feb. 1 or forfeit your salaries, Edo govt tells striking teachers

The Edo State government has ordered public primary school teachers in the state to resume academic activities on Monday, February 1 or risk forfeiting their salaries.

The leadership of the Edo State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) had on Wednesday directed its members to ignore the February 1 resumption date proposed by the state government while negotiations to resolve the strike continue.

BusinessDay reported that the primary school teachers embarked on an indefinite strike on Monday, January 18, following the state government’s inability to meet their demands.

However, Osarodion Ogie, Secretary to the State Government, in a statement made available to journalists in Benin City, said “Edo State government has activated the No Work, No Pay policy”.

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“This is to inform all parents, teachers and the general public that all public primary schools in Edo State shall resume full activities on Monday, 1st February, 2021.

“Parents are expected to make their children and wards ready for resumption on this date. The Edo State government wishes to reemphasise that all public-school teachers and head teachers are required to be present in their various schools. Failure to resume work would be considered forfeiture of salary,” Ogie said.

He further directed head teachers and teachers who align with the strike to hand over school property in their custody to their respective education secretaries.

He said the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) is collaborating with the relevant security agencies to ensure the protection of all public schools, warning that anybody who deliberately destroys government property would be made to face the consequences of the law.