Kaduna Teachers Go Spiritual to Avert Looming Massive Sack

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Monday, October 16th, 2017

Photo: Kaduna state governor, Nasir ElRufai

KADUNA, NIGERIA (AFRICAN EXAMINER) – As the massive sack of primary school teachers looms in the State, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Zaria Local Government Area of Kaduna State has resolved to commence a three-day fasting and prayers to avert the disaster.

It would be recalled that over 20,000 of the teachers recently sat for Basic Four test, but failed, a development the State Governor, Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai considered very embarrassing, thus resolved to relief the affected teachers and replace them with younger and productive hands.

The LGA NUT Chairman Malam Yahaya Abbas, told NAN in Zaria Monday that the teachers were compelled to seek God’s intervention over the planned sack. The Prayers and fasting are billed to state Tuesday.

“Majority of our members here are Muslims and we do not have anywhere to lodge our complaint except to our creator.

“Therefore, we intend to start a three-day fasting on October 17, in addition to prayers, to seek God’s intervention on the planned mass sack of our members whom government said did not pass its examination.

“There is no way for everybody to score “A” grade in an examination; that is 75 per cent, this is not what was agreed with the union representatives.

“The agreement was that the pass mark should be 60 per cent not 75 per cent. Again, the result of the examination is not yet out but government said it will sack 20,000 teachers” the union Leader alleged.

Abass also alleged that government still owed some teachers salary arrears of between three months and 13 months, while some of them were being underpaid.

Abbas claimed that Governor El-Rufa’i had promised not to terminate the appointment of any teacher, but those who performed below expectation in the exam would be subjected to training.

Despite the teachers’ opposition to the planned move to sack their members, Abass clarified that the unionists and teachers did not intend to go on rampage or embark on strike, adding instead, “we have resolved to take the matter to our creator for quick intervention.”