Protesting teachers in Abuja

Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT on Wednesday took to the streets in Abuja to protest against the move by the National Assembly to grant autonomy to local governments through the proposed amendments to the 1999 Constitution.

The teachers who were led by Hassan Jubril, Chairman, FCT Chapter carried different placards with inscriptions such as “We say no to scrapping of State joint Local Government Account,” “No to Local Government Autonomy,” “No to pauperisation of teachers,” “Save primary education in Nigeria,” “Yes to transfer of primary school teachers’ salaries to the state government,” said granting autonomy to local governments will lead to death of primary education in Nigeria.

The teachers who were uniformly dressed took their protest to the office of Bala Mohammed, the Minister of FCT.

Hassan Jubril, chairman Abuja Teachers union

Jubril said the teachers were not opposed to local government autonomy, but the salaries of primary school teachers should be transferred to state governments before the autonomy is granted.

If this is not done, he warned that the move to grant autonomy to local governments will lead to total collapse of primary eduction in Nigeria.

He added that the NUT viewed the proposed amendment to the 1999 Constitution as it affects local government autonomy and scrapping of the States/LG joint account as not being in the interest of education in Nigeria.

According to him, the position of the Union was with hindsight of events of 1990 to 1994 when education came under local governments.

Jubril added that the local government then refused to accord education the necessary priority and were owing workers salaries of six to 12 months continuously.

This he said led to incessant strikes which totally paralysed primary education in Nigeria. He added that retired teachers were also not paid their pensions and gratuities and this led to early death for many of them.