Abuja Schools Resume Lessons After Teachers’ Strike, Attendance Remains Low
Public primary and secondary schools across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) resumed academic activities on Wednesday after teachers suspended their industrial action, but attendance remained low in several schools.
The resumption followed a directive from the FCT Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), led by Comrade Stephen Knabayi, after negotiations with the FCT Administration over the issues that prompted the teachers to embark on an indefinite strike.
The union said consultations and reconciliation meetings with the government had produced resolutions on some of the outstanding demands, including the promotion of education officers.
According to the NLC, promotion opportunities would depend on vacancies declared by the Education Secretariat. It noted that the anticipated departure of several directorate staff members from the service could create openings for other officers to advance.
The union also disclosed that the FCT Civil Service Commission would be informed of the Executive Council’s approval concerning the 2025 promotion examination. A new date would subsequently be announced for eligible candidates.
A visit to schools in Abaji, Gwagwalada, Bwari and Kuje area councils showed that teachers had returned to work, with lessons taking place in several classrooms despite the low turnout of pupils and students.
At Pilot Science Primary School in Abaji, teachers were already teaching when reporters visited the school. The head teacher, Alhaji Salihu Jibrin, said more than 300 pupils had returned as of Wednesday, expressing hope that attendance would increase as the week progressed.
A teacher at the school, Shuaibu Musa, said the staff resumed after receiving instructions from the FCT chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) late on Tuesday.
Jibrin explained that he received the resumption notice through the union’s communication platform and contacted other teachers to inform them that classes would restart the following morning.
He commended the FCT NUT leadership, headed by Comrade Abdullahi Mohammed Shafas, for its efforts to protect teachers’ interests. He also acknowledged the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, for settling some outstanding arrears but urged the administration to continue addressing issues affecting teachers’ welfare.
At Government Junior Secondary School, Naharati, in Abaji Area Council, academic activities had also resumed, although only a few students and teachers were present.
Gabriel Moses, a teacher at the school, said he received the resumption announcement on the teachers’ platform at about 11:12 p.m. on Tuesday and prepared to return to work the following day.
He urged the FCT Administration to implement its agreements with the unions, warning that failure to address the outstanding issues could trigger another disruption of school activities.
In Gwagwalada Area Council, teachers had resumed lessons at Demonstration Primary School and Government Day Secondary School, but the number of pupils and students in attendance remained low.
The same situation was observed at LEA Primary Schools in Gwako and Zuba, where teaching had restarted despite the limited number of pupils in classrooms.
At LEA Primary School in Chibiri community, Kuje Area Council, teachers and a few pupils were also present following the suspension of the strike.
However, some teachers remained dissatisfied with the outcome of the negotiations, particularly the requirement for available vacancies before promotion could be granted.
One teacher criticised the handling of the issue, arguing that the FCT Minister should have addressed the unions’ concerns more directly during the negotiations.
The teacher maintained that the vacancy requirement remained a major source of disagreement between the administration and the workers.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the NUT Kubwa chapter, Comrade Ameh Baba, said teachers returned to work immediately because they could not afford to lose more instructional time.
He said the two-week strike had disrupted the academic calendar and would make it difficult for teachers to complete their schemes of work within the scheduled period.
According to Baba, the union would consider measures to recover the lost time, including extending the school calendar by two weeks.
He described the industrial action as avoidable, alleging that a more timely response from the government could have prevented the dispute from escalating.
Baba further claimed that the administration’s threat to issue queries to teachers worsened tensions and prompted the NLC to react.
He urged the FCT Administration to fulfil its outstanding commitments, estimating that about 70 per cent of the promises made to teachers remained unfulfilled.
Although the suspension of the strike has allowed lessons to resume across the territory, teachers’ concerns over promotion and other welfare issues remain, with the unions expecting the government to follow through on its commitments.
