Teachers in Benue State in Nigeria have finally gone back to work after an eight-month strike in the struggle for payment of the minimum wage. And now teachers in the Kogi State are on strike, as some have not been paid at all for four months.
Primary school teachers in the Benue State were on strike over the implementation of a minimum wage, which is $112 a month. This state is the last in Nigeria to refuse to pay the minimum wage to its primary teachers, even though it committed to do so in an agreement signed with the Nigerian National Union of Teachers (NUT) in 2013. The strike had been ongoing since October 2013, and the Government threatened to sack striking teachers.
Brain drain due to working conditions
NUT President Michael Olukaya accused the State Government of treating primary school teachers like slaves. “No wonder the education sector continues to suffer from an unfortunate brain drain,” he said. “It results from a lack of respect for teachers and this type of injustice.”
In October 2013, primary school students also demonstrated in support of their teachers and demanded that the Government honours its agreement to pay teachers.
EI: Call for free public education
“We support our Nigerian colleagues in their call to their Government to ensure safe schools all over the country. We also urge national public authorities to guarantee free public education for all in Nigeria, including a decent living wage for teachers,” said EI General Secretary, Fred van Leeuwen.