The Kaduna State Government, on Tuesday, said it has opened attendance registers for teachers across the state to check those who are not on their duty post in accordance with civil service rule.
Addressing a news conference in Kaduna, to give update on the ongoing strike action by teachers in the state, Alhaji Shehu Othman, Permanent Member II in the state’s Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), warned against politicising the educational reforms embarked upon by Governor Nasir El-Rufai, to protect the future of over two million pupils in the state.
Othman, explained that the state government, having declared the strike action embarked by NUT as illegal, directed education secretaries and school administrators to take count of teachers who resumed and those who did not for necessary actions.
He said further that, teachers who complied with government directive in some schools across the state were chased out by NUT officials and sent pupils home, thereby, disrupting teaching and learning.
Othman, however, called on teachers in the state for their own interest, disregard NUT strike action and return to work.
On National Industrial Court order, obtained by the Nigeria Union of Teachers,NUT, restraining the government from disengaging any teacher until the determination of the substantive suit before the court, Othman said that the unqualified teachers were sacked before the ruling.
Othman said:“As you are all aware, schools are supposed to resumed academic activities in Monday Jan. 8, but the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) has directed its members to embark on indefinite strike same day over ongoing reform in the education sector.
“Among steps taken to repositioned the sector was the competency test organised by the state government to determined the effectiveness of teachers in which 21,780 failed and were disengaged.
“NUT’s main agitation was to allow the affected teachers, who have no business in our schools having failed the competency test to continue to teach.
“But the Nasir El-Rufai government insisted that teachers that cannot pass primary four examination must not be allowed near its schools if the future of over two million pupils in the state must be protected.
“In fact, the NUT officials has gone as fas closing down Local Government Education Authority offices in some local government areas.
“The state government will not accept NUT’s use of force to drive away teachers in their lawful duty post.
“This is very disturbing because it is against Civil Service Rule to stop government official from discharging his/her official duty.
“We are therefore, informing union leaders and earring teachers that government will take appropriate action in accordance with the provision of the Civil Service Rule.”Othman said.
Reacting, Kaduna NUT state’s chairman, Mr Audu Amba, said he was not aware of any harassment of teachers by NUT officials.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued by the Executive Chairman, Kaduna SUBEB, Malam Nasiru Umar, called on parents and guardians to send their children to school, saying that second term has began already.
Umar added that the list of successful candidates who sat for the aptitude test for the recruitment of 25,000 primary school reachers would soon be released.
“The scripts of the over 40,000 applicants who sat for the examination has been marked and and data entry is ongoing.The date for the oral interview will be announced as soon as the result is ready ” Umar explained.