Edo State Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has issued a three-week warning to the State government to address the poor conditions of service of its members.
The teachers’ demands were contained in a communique issued after its enlarged state executive council meeting in Benin City.
The communique was signed by Fidelis Oigbochie and Moni Mike Itua, chairman and secretary of the union, respectively, as well as the executive leadership of its affiliate members.
The union want the state government, through the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to pay allowances to Edo teachers that participated in the 2018 and 2019 training programmes.
They complained, that after the training programmes, both serving and now retired primary school teachers who participated in the training are yet to be paid despite the budgetary provisions made for it by the state government.
NUT also decried the non-payment of Primary School Teachers in Oredo and Uhunmwode local governments of their 2013, 2014 and 2015 promotion arrears by SUBEB.
Other demand of the teachers are the delay in the release of N60 million subvention for 2018/2019, third term to schools as approved by the state government.
It also condemned, the alleged plan by the authorities of SUBEB to introduce competency test as a measure to appoint head of school in the state in contravention of an existing legal suit at the National Industrial Court, Enugu.
They noted that any form of competency test being contemplated by SUBEB for the recruitment of school heads is unacceptable to them and stands null and void.
“State Working Executive Council in session hereby calls on all its members to brace up and be prepared for further action (s) as may be deemed necessary and directed by the union should the relevant government board and agents refuse to positively address the issues raised in this communique not later than the stipulated time given.
“School Heads and Acting School Heads are advised to continue to carryout their lawful assignments and must not handover to anybody as illegally directed by the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).
“That all pending EDO BEST stipends and 2013 to 2015 promotion arrears be paid to all due beneficiaries not later than 5th September, 2019,” they said.
While lamenting the shortage of teaching personnel due to the recent retirement exercise, they however, called for immediate recruitment of teaching staff in the state public primary schools.
The union accused SUBEB of being dictatorial and operating as sole administrator.
“The leadership of Edo SUBB has assumed the dimension of dictatorship and a sole administrator veiled with brazen intellectual and managerial arrogance, gross insensitivity to the plight of teachers and now uses intimidation as a weapon to coerce teachers to do its bidding,” the teachers further lamented.
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