Ebola Fears: Teachers threaten strike over September 22 resumption date

Nigerian teachers have threatened to go on strike over the government’s plans to re-open schools across the country on September 22 amid claims that the authorities are yet to put in place measures to protect its members and pupils from the Ebola virus disease (EVD).

Last month, education minister Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, instructed all public and private schools in the country to remain closed until October 13. At the time, the government was worried about the spread of Ebola and wanted to ensure that measures it put in place were working in order not to expose pupils to the virus.

However, earlier this month, he reversed that decision, directing all public and private schools in the country to reopen on September 22 , adding that measures taken to control the spread of EVD are working. Disputing these claims, the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) has threatened to go on strike if the federal government fails to put in place measures to protect its members and pupils.

NUT national president, Michael Alogba, said that the union would not allow any of its members to teach until it was scientifically and medically proven that the country was free of the ebola scourge. Other stakeholders including doctors, activists and civil society groups have also alleged that the government was stampeded into announcing the new date by some powerful school proprietors.

On Tuesday this week, the House of Representatives directed its Committee on Education to take another look at the September 22 resumption date in view of the fact that the EVD had yet to be contained in the country. Committee chairman, Aminu Usman, said it would meet with the leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association and the Federal Ministry of Education before taking its decision.

However, Mr Alogba said the NUT had already written the federal government about its position on the September 22 date. He warned that if the new date was not extended by Monday, the NUT national executive council would meet on Tuesday in Abuja to take drastic action.

“In any sane society, decisions such as this will not be taken until the government and all stakeholders have met and discussed the issue at stake and are sure that the nation is scientifically and medical free from the scourge. However, this is not the case in our country.

 “When they arrived at the early October 13 date, they wrote us and we agreed with their argument but when this new date was given, they did not because of the influence of some powerful school owners who put pressure on them to announce the September 22 date. We have written to tell them that if the federal government does not shift the date and provide all necessary safety measures in schools before Monday next week, all NUT leaders will meet in Abuja by 9am on Tuesday to decide our fate by ourselves.”

Yomi Otubela, the Lagos State chairman of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, however denied that the education ministry was lobbied to change the resumption date to September 22. He added that there had yet to be a scientific basis for schools to remain shut till next month.