Posted by From FRANCIS AWOWOLE-BROWNE, Abuja on
Minister of Education, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili may have ordered a clampdown on principals of Unity Schools, where the teachers are on strike as some of the school heads were arrested at the weekend for allowing the industrial action.
Minister of Education, Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili may have ordered a clampdown on principals of Unity Schools, where the teachers are on strike as some of the school heads were arrested at the weekend for allowing the industrial action.
Consequently, some of the principals have gone underground to avoid being picked by security agents whom, it was learnt, have apprehended about 10 of them as at press time.
Also, the minister has directed that the striking teachers' salaries be stopped forthwith, with the application of ‘no work, no pay rule' contained in section 42 of the Trade Dispute Act with respect to payment of wages during strikes and lock outs.
Among those reportedly arrested weekend are the principal and the unit chairman of the Queens College, Lagos, Mrs. Olagunju, and some others in the schools in the north.
Following this development, the President and Secretary of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Messrs Olakunle Olaitan and Solomon Onaignon, directed the teachers and the principals to vacate their schools, until the minister invited the national secretariat of the union for dialogue to discuss the bone of contention.
The teachers had been at loggerhead with the Ministry of Education and commenced an action over the decision of the government to concession the 102 unity schools across the federation to private investors to manage owing to alleged falling standard of the schools over the years despite huge funds pumped into the system by government.
A letter signed by the Permanent Secretary in the Education Ministry, Dr. Aboki Zhawa, said all teachers who took part in the strike should not be paid henceforth until otherwise directed after they resume work.
Mr Olaitan, who is also the Chairman of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNSNC), blamed the minister for the strike alleging that the minister has been rebuffing all interventions.