Lagos: Teachers Begin Strike Showdown

Lagos State Public School

Teachers in Lagos state public primary and secondary schools have begun their statewide strike action today.
The teachers vowed to go ahead with the strike since the state government had failed to meet their demands.

Their demand? The teachers are asking the state government to implement the 27.5 percent Teachers Salary Structure (TSS) which was an agreement between the Governors' Forum and the National body of the NUT. They plan to stay at home until their demands are met.

In a press briefing by the state chairman of Nigerian Union of Teachers, Comrade Samson Kayode Idowu, the teachers vowed to go ahead with the strike since the state government had failed to hearken to their demands.

According to Idowu, after engaging state government in several peace moves and it appears the state is unwilling to shift ground, they are left with no choice but to proceed with the strike.
The teachers are asking the state government to implement the 27.5 percent Teachers Salary Structure (TSS) which was agreement between the Governors' Forum and the National body of the NUT.
Idowu said the strike action is the decision of the national executive council of NUT which insisted that every state that fail to implement the 27.5 per cent TSS should not expect teachers in schools as students resumed new academic session.
The NUT boss said Lagos State is one of the states in the country that have failed to implement the TSS despite its promise to do so in the last six years. He added that the government has been paying all along is 9.2 percent.

 Meanwhile, Minister of Education, Prof. Rufa’i, has urged teachers and other stakeholders in the education sector to complement the efforts of federal government towards transformation of the ducation sector.

She said the poor quality of educational outcome recorded in recent years was attributable to the poor quality of teachers, among others, assuring that Government would not leave any stone unturned at ensuring quality teacher’s education and development.

source: AllAfrica.com