Ogun schools shut as teachers begin strike

Public primary and secondary schools in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, were on Friday shut as members of the Nigerian Union of Teachers and the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools embarked on a strike.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the strike was in response to the inability of the state government to meet the demands of the teachers.

The Secretary of the NUT in Ijebu-Ode, Mr. Olajide Ogunleye, said the action was in compliance with the state unions’ directive as communicated to all chapters.

According to him, the state wing of the NUT had served the state government the notice of strike since January 9.

Ogunleye said all efforts by NUT and ASUSS to ensure that the state government implemented the contents of the MoU it signed with the unions since 2013 failed.

Some of the demands of the unions, he said, were the reinstatement of 34 primary school teachers, who were advised to retire compulsorily in 2013.

“Other demands are on non-payment of some teachers’ salaries, non-payment of 2014 leave allowances and non-recognition of university degree holders in primary schools in Ogun among others,” he said.

Ogunleye also said the Peculiar Allowance for teachers, who had remained at their duty post since July 2013 and calculated at an agreed rate of 15 per cent, was also outstanding.

Some of the schools visited by NAN were Our Saviour Primary School, Porogun; Molem Memorial School on Ejinrin Road and Ansar Ud Deen Schools.