From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Public schools in Abia State could not resume yesterday as earlier announced by government following strike embarked on by teachers in the state.
The leadership of the Nigerian Union of Teachers had earlier in the month, threatened to embark on industrial action if the state government fail to pay their outstanding salary arrears and other allowances.
Government had on Sunday appealed to the teachers not to carry out their threat in the interest of students and pupils.
However, teachers stayed away from classrooms, forcing students and pupils to remain on forced holidays.
A visit to some of the schools in Umuahia, the state capital showed no sign of life as their gates were under lock and key.
A parent who gave his name as Sunday Nwoke said he took his son to one of on the public schools in Umuahia, but was asked to take him home.
Nonetheless, private schools in the state reopened for classes yesterday.
In some of the private schools visited, students and pupils were seen being checked in under regid observance of COVID-19 protocol.
Some of the students and pupils who went to school without face mask, were turned back.