El-Rufai threatens to dismiss any teacher who goes on strike

As teachers in public primary schools in Kaduna State goes on
indefinite strike on Monday, Governor Nasir el-Rufai has threatened
to dismiss any teacher who is absent from duty.

The Chairman of the Kaduna State branch of the Nigeria Union of
Teachers, Mr. Audu Amba, confirmed to one of our correspondents on
phone on Sunday that teachers in public primary schools would
embark on indefinite strike on Monday to force the state to reverse
the sack of over 20,000 of its members the state government claimed
had failed its competency test.

However, the NUT chairman refrained from making comments on the
latest threat by the governor, saying “I will not comment on this
now.”

El-Rufai, through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and
Publicity, Mr. Samuel Aruwan, in a statement said any strike
embarked upon by the teachers would be considered illegal and would
be treated as such.

The governor noted that strike or no strike, nothing would
derail the education reforms being implemented by the state
government.

He said the state would neither be blackmailed by the action of
the teachers nor mortgage the future of two million primary school
pupils.

The governor insisted that as an employer, the government has
every right to determine who its employees are or can be, and the
minimum qualifications they must possess.

As teachers in public primary schools in Kaduna State goes on
indefinite strike on Monday, Governor Nasir el-Rufai has threatened
to dismiss any teacher who is absent from duty.

The Chairman of the Kaduna State branch of the Nigeria Union of
Teachers, Mr. Audu Amba, confirmed to one of our correspondents on
phone on Sunday that teachers in public primary schools would
embark on indefinite strike on Monday to force the state to reverse
the sack of over 20,000 of its members the state government claimed
had failed its competency test.

However, the NUT chairman refrained from making comments on the
latest threat by the governor, saying “I will not comment on this
now.”

El-Rufai, through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and
Publicity, Mr. Samuel Aruwan, in a statement said any strike
embarked upon by the teachers would be considered illegal and would
be treated as such.

The governor noted that strike or no strike, nothing would
derail the education reforms being implemented by the state
government.

He said the state would neither be blackmailed by the action of
the teachers nor mortgage the future of two million primary school
pupils.

The governor insisted that as an employer, the government has
every right to determine who its employees are or can be, and the
minimum qualifications they must possess.