By Okhide Em’ya David
Academic activities in Edo State Public Primary Schools failed to assume full throttle second day running on Tuesday as Teachers defied a Court order to suspend a strike action declared by the National Union of Teachers NUT.
The National Industrial Court sitting in Benin City had on Monday in a suit filed by the State Government and the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) with Suit No. NICN/BEN/04/2021, restrained the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) from proceeding on any strike action in Edo State Primary schools.
However, reacting to the restraining order, the State leadership of NUT, said it had not been served with any processes or documents of court injunction against the ongoing strike action that commenced on 18th January, 2021.
The Assistant Secretary General of the NUT, Comrade Moni Mike Modesty Itua said at the close of work on Monday, that no court papers had been served to the union.
“The union is not aware of any court order. It was yet to be served any court order. As far as the union is concern the indefinite strike action is still in force. The indefinite strike action continues indefinitely”, he said.
When Alltimepos.com checked updates at some primary schools in Benin Metropolis and suburbs and found that virtually all of them remain ghost towns, worse than on Monday.
The only semblance of life at the Schools were presence of officials of the State Public Works Volunteer (PUWOV), who like the American Coast Guards sauntered aimlessly around the school premises as they were deployed to man the facilities across the state.
Monitoring the strike situation in Benin City, it was observed that the teachers were yet to resume in schools despite the court order.
At Emokpae Model primary school, along Mission Road the school it was still like on Monday devoid of the normal hustle and bustle of academic activities as the teachers remain defiant.
At mid-morning, a few staff suspected to be those of the local government education authority and the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) arrived the school premises with few pupils in a classroom as well as officials of the Public Works Volunteer (PUWOV) to provide security for the staff.
The situation at Agbado primary school along Akpakpava road was the worst as there were no teachers and pupils in the school premises except officials of the Public Works Volunteer (PUWOV).
Asoro primary school was under lock and key, while officials of the Public Works Volunteer (PUWOV) manned the gate when visited.
At Ogboe primary school located at First East Circular road only officials of the Public Works Volunteer (PUWOV) were in the school.
Although few Civil Society groups have called on the warring parties to sheathe their swords for the interest of the school children it was not clear whether any proper negotiation has commenced between NUT and Edo State Government.
