Some parents in Bwari Area Council, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have said that the unabated strike by teachers and the council staffers has negatively impacted their children.
The parents expressed their concerns on Sunday in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bwari, on the ongoing strike by primary school teachers in the council.
NAN reports that the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) on Thursday directed their workers across the six area councils in the FCT, to resume their suspended strike.
NAN reports that the strike involved primary school teachers under the Local Education Authority (LEA) and the area council,’ staff members over non-payment of the N70, 000 minimum wage by the area councils’ administrators.
The parents expressed the concerns that the periodic strikes have not only affected their children’s learning, but brought about negative societal consequences, gaps and inequality among their peers in private schools.
Mr Sylvanus Yahaya, a parent, described the situation as stereotype, adding that the process has not yielded any positive result but negative impacts on school children.
“They do this all the time to the detriment of the children’s education and at the cost of parents.
“ It is unfair and I know that there are other ways disputes like this can be resolved, instead of this on and off schooling.
“It is our children that keep suffering the effects. They are already vulnerable and it will also be difficult for them to keep up with their peers in other schools.
“Teachers’ strike, particularly at the primary school level, has serious consequences and should be nip in the bud, because teachers are fundamental to child development,” he said.
Similarly, Esther Adams, another parent said it is unfortunate that strike by the councils’ teachers occured every school term, making the children to lag behind in their school curriculum.
She noted that, although workers have the right to such action, but they should be able to find a level playing ground that may not necessarily affect other parties, like children.
Adams saud that the children are always at the receiving end of any strike.
She pleaded with the government and other stakeholders involved, to put an end to the “periodic action”.
Adam, particularly called of the feuding parties to immediately do the needful so as not to continuously put the children’s future at risk.
She said: “The boys may, unfortunately, indulge in illicit activities and the young girls may end up hawking or even become housewives at an early stage; we do not want these to continue, please.”
Another parent, Mallam Rilwanu Baba-Ali, said it is an arduous task to encourage some children to go to school, but with the on and off strike, some of them might completely lose interest.
He said that the incessant strike has contributed in no small measure to high figure of out-of-school children in rural communities of the territory.
Baba-Ali urged the concerned authorities and the teachers to come to a meeting point, salvage the situation for the pupils to return to their classes
He specifically called on the FCT Administration to take up the matter and bring an end to the recurring strike.
NAN reports that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike on Thursday, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ensuring that the area council administrations implement the minimum wage as approved.
He condemned the strike by the two unions and expressed the concern that the action would have detrimental effects on children seeking primary education.
The minister said that steps were being taken to promptly address the action. (NAN)
