Public secondary school teachers in Bayelsa State on Monday ignored the directive of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) to resume work.

The secondary school teachers rather chose to obey the counter-directive of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) not to return to classrooms.

Our correspondent who went round Yenagoa, the state capital, observed that public primary and secondary schools within the metropolis did not open for any activity.

Public primary and secondary schools in Bayelsa have remained shut since the new 2016/2017 academic session commenced four weeks ago, following a strike action by the NUT.

Among other demands, the NUT is insisting that the Governor Seriake Dickson-led administration pays at least two months’ half salaries (June and July) before teachers would resume work.

Last weekend, Oyinemi Ebredeni, the chairman of ASUSS, Bayelsa State chapter, called on the secondary school teachers to resume work on Monday, assuring them that the government would do the needful.

But, Kalama Toinpre, the chairman of NUT, Bayelsa State Wing, quickly issued a counter-directive asking all teachers to ignore ASUSS’s call and stay at home until the government practically paid the salaries.

Toinpre said on Monday that no public primary and secondary schools in Bayelsa would resume, adding that the ASUSS lacked the powers to railroad teachers into resumption of work.

He accused the ASUSS of compromising the struggle after it voluntarily supported the NUT strike which began about five weeks ago.

“We (NUT) also called on teachers not to resume today (Monday). So, schools have still not opened. Secondary schools and primary schools did not open today.”

However, Ebredeni who denied compromising the strike action, explained that ASUSS called on secondary teachers to start work on Monday based on the governor’s promise to pay two months’ half salaries this week.

“I did not compromise any strike. Why will I compromise? The government said it will pay two months and congress (ASUSS congress) agreed that the strike be suspended.” (Independent)

•Photo shows Governor Dickson.

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