Nigeria teachers union vows to keep Borno schools open despite insecurity

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) asserts that shutting down schools in Borno State amid rising insecurity would effectively grant terrorists a victory in their campaign to disrupt education. Comrade Yusuf Tom, the National Publicity Secretary of the NUT, emphasized the union's commitment to maintaining school operations despite security challenges, arguing that closure would embolden insurgents.

“

We did not order the closure of schools in Borno State. If you close school, it is a victory for fear.

"If you close school, it is a victory for fear," Tom stated, adding that the union actively encourages teachers to continue their work. He stressed that the NUT is not advocating for school closures but rather for defeating the terrorists' objective of seeing schools shut down. The union's stance is rooted in the belief that education is a fundamental human right.

“

Therefore, we will continue to encourage our teachers to teach in our respective schools, for us to continue to defeat their (terrorists’) game of seeing schools closed. That is what we are agitating for, we are not agitating for the closure of schools.

The planned nationwide rally by the NUT aims to draw urgent government attention to the escalating abductions of students and teachers. The union seeks the unconditional release of abducted learners and educators, particularly highlighting the situation in Askira Uba of Mussa Primary and Secondary School. Tom emphasized that these children and teachers deserve protection and that government efforts to rescue them must be intensified.

“

Education is part of human rights. But in recent times, the reverse is the case, and this is why we are organising this rally to make our voice heard so that our learners in Askira Uba of Mussa Primary and Secondary School will be released unconditionally.

This action follows a directive from the national leadership of the NUT for simultaneous rallies across all 36 state capitals. The protests are intended to draw attention to the worsening insecurity affecting schools and education workers nationwide, responding to a growing wave of kidnappings targeting educational institutions. The NUT's national president and secretary issued a circular mandating state chapters to stage solidarity rallies.

“

These children deserve human rights; they deserve protection. We want the government to intensify efforts in rescuing these children, teachers and colleagues in Borno and other states.