Mr. Igbelowowa explained that the primary
education system in the country has witnessed poor funding, underdevelopment
and total neglect since it has been under the control of the local government
system.
he Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in Ondo
State has called on the federal
government to hand over the management of
primary schools to state governments.
The union’s demand came after the federal
government introduced a local government autonomy plan that gave local
government administrations control over primary school education.
NUT Secretary Solomon Igbelowowa spoke on
Friday during a peaceful protest at the Alagbaka Government Office in Akure,
the state capital.
SaharaReporters gathered that the union
members walked from their state secretariat along Oda Road to the governor's office
while carrying banners and chanting solidarity and anti-government songs.
Mr. Igbelowowa explained that the primary
education system in the country has witnessed poor funding, underdevelopment
and total neglect since it has been under the control of the local government
system.
He said that the union could not afford to
continue to tie the fate of the teachers and pupils under the primary education
sector to the local government councils.
Mr. Igbelowowa added that the local government
administrations have over the years showed they lack the financial
capacity and commitment to shoulder the responsibility of managing primary
education.
"It is on the above premises that we feel
most comfortable to call for the handover of the payment of salaries of primary
school teachers to state governments as a way of pulling the dwindling primary
school system out of the woods,” the union leader said.
"In mind with this call, we also wish to
propose that the allocation to states from the federation account be reviewed
upwards in favor of the states to guarantee uninterrupted primary education in
the country.
"Alternatively, we demand that salaries
of primary school teachers be paid through the universal Basic Education
Commission (UBEC) from the first line charge from federation account.”
He added that primary school teachers are owed
several months’ worth of salaries due to the inability of the local governments
to provide needed funds for the primary school staff.
The NUT secretary stated that such untoward
development also portends a great danger for the public primary education
system and the future of the mass of underdeveloped children in the country.
"It is against this backdrop that we wish
to reaffirm our position and call that the payment of salaries of primary
school teachers be taken over by the state governments in order to prevent the
education sector from imminent collapse," Mr. Igbelowowa added.
Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, who received the
protesters, called for the devolution of powers among the three tiers of
government in the country.
Mr. Akeredolu said the federal government
should devolve more power to the state in order to manage its own sectors and
resources.
"The state government must be allowed to
be in control and manage its own resources," he said.
A SaharaReporters correspondent later reported
that the NUT union leaders presented a position paper on their agitations to
the governor
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