FROM IKHILI EBALU, BENIN CITY
Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, Edo State Wing has kicked against the return of some public primary and secondary schools to missionaries by the state government.
The State Chairman, NUT, Comrade Bernard Ajobiewe made the remark against the backdrop of this year’s 2025 World Teachers Day.
The NUT chairman explained that the state government’s policy of returning some public primary and secondary schools to missionaries will deprive thousands of children access to education.
“NUT as a body, we are holistically against the handing of schools to missionaries. It shows that government is trying to shy away from its responsibility, as the National Policy on Education says that an average child should be able to have accessible education.
Handing over of schools to missionaries shows that average children who are vulnerable will be denied access to education, as they may not be able to pay the high fees that will be imposed by the missionary organisations. We therefore advise the Edo State government to reverse its decision,” he stated
Ajobiewe noted that the policy will also affect teachers in those schools.
“Those teaching in such schools, where will they go? An agreement is supposed to be reached at a stakeholders meeting, were everybody will make an input before such decisions can be announced. We advise government to reverse the decision until major stakeholders review it.”
He appreciated the state government for the implementation of 65 and 40 years of service for teachers, and appealed for the prompt payment of public primary school teachers salaries.
“We appeal to government to ensure that public primary school teachers receive their salaries between 27th and 28th of every month.”
World Teachers’ Day is an international day held annually on October 5 to celebrate the work of teachers.
The 2025 World Teachers Day theme is “Recasting teaching as a collaborative profession.”
