FCT primary school teachers return to class as strike ends

Primary school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) resumed their duties on Monday following the intervention of Mr. Nyesom Wike, the FCT Minister. The teachers had previously initiated an indefinite strike to push for the implementation of a 40% Peculiar Allowance and the settlement of 25 months’ worth of minimum wage arrears, among other outstanding payments.

Mrs. Margaret Jethro, the Secretary of the FCT chapter of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), disclosed this information in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.

Jethro explained that the strike was suspended, effective immediately, due to Wike’s intervention to address a portion of the minimum wage arrears owed to the teachers. According to her, Wike committed to settling 40% of the total over N7 billion minimum wage arrears, with the remaining 60% to be handled by the area councils.

She further clarified that the payment process would commence in January and conclude by March. Jethro stated, “We have suspended the strike with effect from today, and teachers are already back in the classrooms. Wike had assured that the deduction of the 40% minimum wage arrears would commence this January, and the area councils would contribute their deductions for the next three months. So, based on that, we are giving him the benefit of the doubt.”

Regarding the N8 billion 12-month Peculiar Allowance debt, Jethro mentioned that the area councils contended that primary school teachers were not entitled to it. However, she noted that the minister pledged to seek clarification from the National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission.

Jethro added, “The area council chairmen insisted that primary school teachers are not entitled to it, but the circular that came from the National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission says all staff on consolidated salary, and primary school teachers are on consolidated salary. So, the minister said he is going to make clarification himself and do the needful. We decided to accept what he has offered and give him time to make the clarification.”

Despite the resolution, Jethro emphasized that if no concrete actions were taken, the union would explore the next steps. NAN reported that the teachers initiated the indefinite strike on January 15, which was a continuation of a previous strike suspended in 2023 due to issues including the non-payment of the 40% Peculiar Allowance and 25 months’ minimum wage arrears. The NUT had suspended the strike on October 2, 2023, with the expectation of resolving the issues within six weeks, a timeline that was not met.