From: Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
The Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) in Oyo State, on Thursday, called on the state’s House of Assembly to reject the bill seeking to transfer payment of teachers’ salaries to local government councils.
The teachers made the position known when they staged a peaceful protest to the House of Assembly, where they were received by the Speaker, Mr. Michael Adeyemo, who was supported by some legislators.
NUT chairman in the state, Mr. Samuel Akano, and Secretary, Mr. Waheed Olojede, who is the current chairman of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in the state, who led the protest, told the lawmakers that the union was not against local government autonomy, but transfer of teachers’ salaries from state to local government, raising the alarm that if the bill scaled through to become law, it would jeopardise smooth payment of primary school teachers in the state.
Speaker Adeyemo, who confirmed the receipt of the bill from the Federal Government, told the protesters that the House would hold public hearing on the bill, urging the teachers and NUT to submit memoranda during the public hearing.
The teachers carried placards with inscriptions that included ‘teachers deserve the best treatment; save basic education from imminent collapse; no teacher, no nation; we teach you, don’t cheat us; basic education is a right; teachers’ right is now; no teacher, no nation; respect the supreme court’s judgment on the responsibility of primary school teachers’ salaries; primary education is the basic foundation.