Public primary and secondary schools across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been shut down following the commencement of an indefinite strike by members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT).
At LEA Ijayapi Primary School and LEA Byazhin Primary School under the Abuja Municipal Area Council, classrooms were under lock and key when our correspondent visited The premises this morning were deserted, with no teachers or pupils in
sight, as the strike directive took full effect.
The industrial action was declared by the State Wing Executive Council (SWEC) of the NUT in the FCT after an emergency meeting held in Gwagwalada, Abuja. The directive was contained in a communiqué jointly signed by State Chairman, Abdullahi Shafa; State Secretary, Margaret Jethro; and State Publicity Secretary, Ibukun Adekeye.
The union instructed all teachers to comply fully with the strike order and await further directives, while urging parents to keep their children and wards at home until further notice.
“After exhaustive deliberations on the industrial issues and the silence on the legitimate demands of teachers’ welfare, the Council resolved that all public primary and secondary school teachers in the FCT shall, with effect from Monday, proceed on an indefinite strike until our demands are met,” the communiqué read.
The NUT explained that the decision followed the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, as well as an additional 28-day grace period without a meaningful response from authorities.
While acknowledging the implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage and the payment of nine months’ salary arrears, the union noted that several key issues affecting teachers’ welfare remain unresolved.
It also recalled that a committee set up by the minister last year to harmonise outstanding entitlements and address recurring disputes had submitted its report, but the document has neither been made public nor implemented.
According to the union, the delay in acting on the committee’s recommendations and the continued silence on teachers’ welfare prompted the industrial action amid worsening economic conditions.
Among the demands listed by the union are the immediate release and implementation of the committee’s report, removal of the “vacancies” condition attached to teachers’ promotions, and a comprehensive review of the promotion exercise conducted two years ago by the FCT Civil Service Commission.
The union maintained that the strike would continue indefinitely until the government addresses its demands.
