Teachers’ strike: Picketing of private schools - Threat or reality?

By Taiwo Olanrewaju

A typical workers’ rallyRooms to let. Not for teachers! used to be a common signpost displayed by estate agents who had accomodation to rent out. And of all professions, it was the teaching profession that was singled out. And that was just because their salary was poor and irregular.

Making a case for teachers, Mrs. Rhoda Adewuyi, a teacher in one of the public schools in Oyo State said teachers deserve nothing but the best. “We should be able to rub shoulders with our mates outside. Afterall, we taught the president and all the lawmakers who now earn millions of naira. They were taught by teachers”, she posited.

According to her, it is in order to make life worth living for teachers that they are demanding for a special salary scale for teachers (TSS). “Should teachers not ride in good cars and live in befitting houses too?” She asked. But when the government was not forthcoming, the teachers embarked on an indefinite strike on Monday, 30th June, 2008. They, however, went a step further to ask the private schools to join in the strike to help press their demand home; saying that failure to do so would result in the public schools picketing the private schools.

Sunday Tribune, therefore, went to town to seek the opinion of private schools’ proprietors and proprietresses on the threat and to know what measures they are putting in place to combat the picketing. The proprietress of Fountain of Praise Nursery and Primary School, Old Ife Road, Ibadan, who does not want her name in print said she had just repaired the school’s gate and adopted the habit of keeping it firmly locked from 8a.m. till school closes at 3pm. since she learnt about the threat. She, however, asked the government to do something about the teachers’ demand and in good time too.

At Peace Kiddies Model College, Airport, Ibadan, Mr Seyi Adegbola, the proprietor, said immediately he learnt about the possiblity of private schools been picketted, he changed his pupil’s examination timetable to two subjects per day instead of the usual one subject per day and that enabled them complete their examination in good time. “So, I asked all of them to stay away from school, but they would be coming around to collect their report cards on Tuesday, 17th, when we would have our end of year party”, said Mr Adegbola.

In his own views, Pastor Abraham Ojekanmi, proprietor, Breakthrough International School, Challenge, Ibadan, said it would be disastrous if the private schools should join in the strike. “That means the entire education sector will collapse”, he added, while saying that the private sector should not be dragged into the strike issue, moreso, that “it is an indefinite thing.” “We are doing our own job and we have to do it very well. So, the NUT should not use us to achieve its own purpose. It has no right to picket us. “Although , teachers should not be too poor. It will not augur well if they are. I see the picketing thing as a threat which cannot se the light of day. Afterall, most teachers’ children are in private schools and not public schools.

“That does not mean the government should not accede to their demand anyway. It should,” Pastor Ojekanmi noted. Deacon J. O. Oyewole, proprietor, Headquarters’ International Group of Schools, Adekile, Ibadan noted that the threat by public schools to picket private schools “was a strong threat. But they are not justified to do that. I feel they are saying that to threaten the government. At least, their chlidren go to private schools. “They are our colleagues, so if they make good their threat of picketing us, we will talk to them when they come around. But I am sure they will not do it. “We are not directly involved in the issue. But then, I want to appeal to the government to do something about the public school teachers. Teachers are overdue for TSS. Teachers should not feel inferior to their counterparts”, he added.

Mrs Nuhu, a teacher in one of the Islamic Private Schools at Sawmill area of Old Ife Road, said the body of private schools’ proprietors and proprietresses in Lagos has taken the issue to court, adding that there is a court injuction restraining public school teachers from picketting private schools.

Feelers from the executive members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), has however, revealed that in spite of pleadings from the Federal Government to the teachers to call the strike off, there is no end in sight to the four weeks old strike as there has not been any commitment to the teachers’ demand on the part of the Federal Government. Meanwhile, the teachers have taken their case to God as they have resorted to fasting and prayer. But on Thursday, 24th July, the NUT held a rally in Lagos while they are also planning a protest march to the National Assembly in Abuja.