El-Rufai kicks, says no going back as protest continues over the sack of 22,000 teachers

macfranc007 November 09, 2017 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Nigerian newspapers 24/7 Adeola Opeyemi

- The sack of 22,000 teachers who failed competency test in Kaduna has caused controversy

- The governor said he is planning to employ the 25,000 new teachers to upgrade the quality of education in the state

- The president of the Nigeria Labour Congress led the protest against the termination of teachers' appointments in the state

Kaduna state government has announced the plan to sack 21,780 primary school teachers who failed the recent competency test conducted for teachers in the state.

The state government also said it would recruit 25,000 new teachers to take over and improve the quality of education in the state.

Following the announcement and the state government's refusal to change its mind about sacking the teachers, members of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and health workers from across Nigeria gathered in Kaduna to join teachers from the 23 local government areas of the state in solidarity at the rally.

The president of the NLC joined teachers in Kaduna state to protest. Photo source: Premium Times

The protesters reportedly destroyed properties at the state House of Assembly.

The protest started on Monday, November 6, by pupils of Local Education Authority, Kawo in Kaduna North local government area.

In a statement signed by Samuel Aruwan, the spokesperson to Governor El-Rufai, the government described the protest by the students as “callous and despicable the act of involving young pupils in illegal, politically-inspired demonstration.

“The Kaduna state government has received reports of primary school pupils being pushed to the streets by their unqualified teachers for illegal protests. These unlawful acts have included getting young children to block highways.

The governor said no going back despite the massive protest in the state. Photo source: Channels TV

“Government condemns this wanton disregard for the lives and safety of primary school pupils placed in the care of these unqualified teachers. It is grievous enough that bad teachers have been allowed to imperil the educational future of these children.

“But for these same teachers to endanger the children by asking them to block and lie on highways illustrates a chilling level of irresponsibility that no law-governed society can accept.

“When parents send their children to school, they place pupils in the care of their teachers during school hours. Parents rightly do not expect teachers to teach their children hooliganism or endanger these minors by involving them in matters they are too young to understand.

“These children are not union members. Our pupils are the victims of bad teachers who are evidently do not mind making these children cannon-fodder for their desperation. Exposing minors to hazards, and endangering their lives and limbs shows that some teachers want to jeopardize the present and future of these children.

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“These irresponsible actions by unqualified teachers at the behest of their union affront both morality and the law, including the Penal Code and the Young Persons’ Law. Those involved will bear the consequences.

“Government hereby warns everyone to desist from illegal and irresponsible acts. Sound education is not a matter of sentiment. Parents who send their children to public schools have a right to expect decent tuition for their wards. Being poor should not mean that the prospects of their children should also be truncated. Nobody will be allowed to play politics with the future of our children, their education and their safety."

On whether he would change his mind on sacking the teachers, El Rufai, who spoke through the permanent secretary of the state Ministry of Education, Adamu Mansur, said there is no going back.

The governor expressed his disappointment at the NLC protest, saying the government will not allow anyone to get away with criminal activity under the cover of industrial relations.

The governor took to his Twitter page to announce the plan to recruit new teachers days after the protest.

Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that the Kaduna state chapter of the Nigerian Union of Teachers has issued Governor El-Rufai a two-week ultimatum to rescind his decision to sack over 21,000 teachers or it will commence on an indefinite strike action.

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