The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has expressed concern at the re-emerging incidence of school invasion and subsequent abduction of teachers and students across the country’s educational institutions.
The union in a statement on Tuesday by its Secretary-General, Dr Mike Ene called on the government at various levels to live up to the responsibility of securing the lives of Nigerians across the country.
It warned that anything short of this would force members of the union to down tools until when it would be safe for them to teach and guide pupils and students without fear of abduction.
Noting that a teacher was abducted and later released in Edo while two others kidnapped in Delta were still in captivity, it decried that the abduction of over 300 students from the Government Science Secondary School in Kankara has sent shivers through the spine of other members of the entire school community in Katsina.
According to the NUT, the recent incidents are sad reminders of previous ugly events in Chibok and Dapchi where Boko Haram terrorists abducted students, creating a monumental disruption of school activities.
” In light of these recent developments, the Nigeria Union of Teachers may be compelled to down tools pending when it is safe for our members to teach and guide our pupils and students without fear of abduction by these faceless enemies of educational prosperity of the Nigerian nation.”
It stressed that the recent bandit attacks on schools, if not immediately addressed will largely affect the 2019/2020 academic calendar.
The union stated that the academic calendar had already been disrupted by the six-month-long lockdown caused by the COVID- 19 pandemic.
” In order not to escalate the disruption of our academic calendar which is in a fragile state as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, NUT unequivocally calls on the Federal, State, and Local governments to ensure adequate security and 24-hour surveillance around our schools.”
“Also, the government must begin to consider the implementation of life insurance and hazard allowance to teachers in our basic and senior secondary schools, as approved by His Excellency President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) on the occasion of the World Teachers’ Day 2020.”
It, therefore, called on all stakeholders to support the government and security agencies to provide adequate protection for students, pupils, teachers, and the school communities.
This, according to the NUT, is to ensure educational activities are not hampered by enemies of the educational system who use schools as soft targets.
