By Okhide Em’ya David
Resumption of academic activities across Public Primary Schools in Edo State suffered serious setbacks on Monday as primary school teachers, under the auspice of the Nigeria Union of Teachers made good on their threat to boycott the February 1, 2021 scheduled resumption date by the state government.
Edo State Government made a last ditch effort to stop the teachers by going to, and obtaining a restraining order on Monday from the National Industrial Court sitting at the Benin Judicial Division.
Hon. Justice A. A. Adewemimo gave the order on Monday, February 1, after listening to submissions put forward by the Edo State Solicitor-General, Oluwole Iyamu (SAN).
Delivering her ruling, Justice Adewemimo restrained the Chairman and Assistant Secretary General respectively of NUT, Edo State, either acting through themselves or their agents or privies from embarking on any strike action pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice, which was fixed for Tuesday, February 9th, 2021.
It would be recalled that the primary school teachers had on January 18, 2021 declared a state-wide indefinite strike to protest against non-fulfilment of its 10-point demands by the state government.
In reaction, government in a statement signed by Osarodion Ogie, Secretary to the State Government, Thursday last week threatened forfeiture of salaries and activation of “No Work, No Pay” policy on any teachers that failed to report for duty.
As a follow up to the state government’s threats the state leadership of NUT, in a press statement on Sunday advised Parents and Guardians to keep their children and wards out of public primary school, insisting that members of the union were on strike.
Visits to some public primary schools in Benin City and environs revealed that they were devoid of the normal hustle and bustle of resumption of academic activities as teachers conspicuously stayed away from schools.
Investigations revealed that some staff of local government education authority and State Universal Basic Education Board SUBEB were deployed by the government to teach in schools where few pupils were present.
At Emokpae Model Primary School, along Mission Road in the state capital, only four females suspected to be teachers were present at the school while pupils were seen only in two classrooms.
One of the teachers, who spoke with Alltimepost.com correspondent under anonymity, said they decided to obey the state government for the sake of the children.
The teacher said “education is not about NUT or state government but for the sake of the children.”
At Agbado Primary School, along Akpakpava road, Benin Metropolis, there were no pupils on site but only three staff who said they were not member of NUT but from SUBEB and local government education authority were on ground waiting for any resuming pupils.
Also at Igbesamwan Model Primary School, off Akpakpava road, four suspected staff from SUBEB and local Government education authority who were in the school said they attended to few pupils that were present in the school.
At Asoro Primary school, only one teacher was in the school attending to only few pupils who converged in a one classroom.
However, Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie was at Emokpae Model Primary School as part of monitoring the compliance of teachers with the state government’s resumption directive.
Ogie, in addressing the teachers urged them to carry out their duty, adding that it was not a crime for some person to protest but it was not also right for the protesters to deprive others from carrying out their duty.
“I am here to ensure that nobody disturb you people. Anybody has a right to protest or agitate but you cannot ask others that are ready to work not to work,” he said.
Reports monitored by Alltimepost.com in other parts of the state, including Edo North and Central Senatorial Districts say attendance of pupils in schools at Auchi, Owan East, Ovia South-West, Ovia North-East Local Government Areas experienced low turnout as teachers complied with the NUT strike directive.
Assistant Secretary General of NUT, Edo State, Moni Mike Modesty Itua described the strike as total across the 18 Local Government Areas.
Moni Mike, who commended teachers for the total compliance, urged them to remain resolute in the fight for freedom until otherwise directed by the union.
He however, expressed hope that with the total compliance the state government may call the leadership for negotiation.
The issue of compliance with Covid 19 Protocols could not become headlines in observation of those few areas or schools where pupils and teachers had turned up before they hurriedly returned home or stayed to prattle as no meaningful learning occurred on Monday.
