The Save Public Education Campaign, Nigeria (SPEC) has strongly condemned ?the continued neglect of public primary school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, a situation that has triggered an avoidable strike action by teachers.?

?We demand the immediate implementation of all the agreements reached with the teachers and reject any move to privatise public education in Nigeria.

?We unequivocally call on the Federal Government to intervene decisively to end the ongoing strike action and ensure that students return to school without further delay,? SPEC said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

The group lamented In the statement signed by the Convener, Comrade Vivian Bello: ?It is now over 90 days since primary school teachers across the FCT embarked on an indefinite strike, and yet, there is no concrete sign of action from the government or area council officials to meet their legitimate demands.?

Continuing, SPEC said: ?The Area Council Chairmen have continuously violated the agreement to pay teachers their new minimum wage and settle outstanding allowances. SPEC condemns this irresponsible and inhumane attitude from elected public officials who seem indifferent to the suffering of teachers and the disruption of learning for thousands of pupils.

Since the strike resumed on March 24, 2025, education across more than 400 public primary schools in the six area councils of the FCT has been crippled. Many students are now forced to stay at home, while others are left unattended in poorly maintained classrooms?if they can access schools at all.

?This industrial action was triggered by the failure of the six FCT Area Councils to implement the N70,000 minimum wage agreement. The agreement was formalised in a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 11 December 2024, signed by the FCT Administration, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

?Key provisions in the MoU included:

?Immediate implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage from January 2025.

?Settlement of at least five months? salary arrears in instalments.

?Allocation of 50% of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), deducted at source from Area Councils, to fund these payments.

?Establishment of a tripartite implementation committee chaired by the Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud.?

SPEC lamented in the statement: ?To date and disappointingly, not a single term of the agreement has been honoured, despite repeated assurances by the minister of the FCT, Barr Nyeson Wike, and high-level meetings. This shows a disturbing level of disregard for public education and for the welfare of the teaching workforce.

?The continued silence and inaction of Minister Wike and the six Area Council Chairmen is appalling. Many of them, beneficiaries of public education themselves, have now turned their backs on the very system that nurtured them. It is unjust and shameful to watch teachers suffer while students roam the streets due to school closures. These are the same Children we will turn round tomorrow to call ?bandits?.

?Even more disturbing also, is the recent decision by the FCT Minister to spend N39 billion on renovating the International Conference Centre?now renamed after the President?while education workers remain unpaid and students are out of school. This misallocation of public funds speaks volumes about the misplaced priorities of our leaders.?

SPEC rejected ?the now familiar lame rhetorics often rehearsed by the Area Council Chairmen that they lack the financial capacity to meet the teachers' demands,? saying: ?These are blatant falsehoods. The truth is that many of them have shifted focus to upcoming elections, abandoning their constitutional responsibility to workers and the public.?

The rights group saluted ?the unwavering commitment of the striking teachers who have endured months of hardship to defend their rights. We fully support their cause and commend their courage in the face of such neglect.?

It reaffirmed Its full support ?for the upcoming three-day mass protest,? calling on the FCT leadership of the NLC and TUC to stand in full solidarity with the striking workers.

?We also call on the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) to mobilise the teachers to action and also the Parents and Teachers Association across the FCT to start mobilising for mass protest until the government meets the demands of striking teachers and the schools are reopened.

Public education is not for sale. Teachers deserve dignity. Our children deserve a future,? SPEC said.

It made the following demands:

Immediate implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage.

Full payment of all salary arrears and entitlements.

Accountability from public officials who continue to flout agreements with impunity.

?The time to act is now,? SPEC concluded.

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