FCT secondary school teachers disown NUT strike
Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
TLDR
- The Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has disassociated itself from the indefinite strike called by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT).
- ASUSS chairman Julius Ogundiran stated that the NUT's strike, over welfare concerns like salary increments and allowances, does not involve secondary school teachers.
- Ogundiran urged ASUSS members to disregard the NUT's directive and resume academic activities, clarifying that secondary schools fall under the FCT Administration while primary schools are managed by area councils.
The Federal Capital Territory chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) has firmly distanced itself from the ongoing strike action initiated by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in the FCT. ASUSS Chairman, Mr. Julius Ogundiran, made it clear that secondary school teachers, represented by ASUSS, are not part of the NUT's industrial action and should not be drawn into its disputes.
ASUSS was not part of the NUT and should not be involved in the ongoing strike.
The NUT had called for an indefinite strike, citing unresolved welfare issues such as the non-implementation of salary increments and peculiar allowances. However, Ogundiran emphasized that the core demands of the NUT are primarily related to primary school teachers and do not directly concern secondary school educators. He explained the administrative distinction: secondary schools operate under the FCT Administration, while primary schools are overseen by the local area councils. This divergence in administrative oversight means that the grievances driving the NUT strike do not align with the current concerns of secondary school teachers.
ASUSS would not succumb to pressure from the NUT to join the strike and called on its members to disregard the union’s directive and resume academic activities in their various schools.
ASUSS, an affiliate of the Trade Union Congress, is urging its members to ignore the NUT's directive and return to their classrooms. Ogundiran highlighted that issues like wage awards and the N70,000 minimum wage have already been addressed by the FCT Minister, Mr. Nyesom Wike, indicating that ASUSS has no outstanding grievances with the FCT Administration that would warrant participation in the strike. The union encourages any secondary school teachers still affiliated with the NUT to de-register and join ASUSS, ensuring their representation is aligned with their specific professional and administrative context.
Most of the demands of the NUT have nothing to do with secondary school teachers but with primary school teachers.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
More Stories
From Our Blog
How the Same Story Looks Different in Different Countries
What Gets Lost (and Found) When News Is Translated
The Critical Role of Diaspora Media in Global News
What Travellers Should Know About Countries with Restricted Press
A Digital Nomad's Guide to Following Local News
