The teachers’ Union in Imo State has said that primary and secondary schools teachers in the state will not resume classes even if government reopen schools in the state. The declaration was made by the chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Imo state Wing, Philip Nwanshi during an interaction with journalists in Owerri. He said the reason was because the state government was yet to fulfill promises and agreements made to teachers in the state regarding their salaries. According to Nwanshi, during a meeting with Governor Hope Uzodimma months ago, he promised to clear arrears of salaries owed to teachers, lamenting that up till the first week of September, salaries of about 2000 teachers have not been paid since March (seven months). “In Ngor Okpala LGA, no primary school teacher has received his salaries up to date since March this year. In Owerri West and other LGAs also, various numbers of teachers are yet to receive their salaries. “There is no way you can tell me that what is holding their salaries is BVN and the banks. We cannot believe that. You cannot tell me that the papers of all the teachers in Ngor Okpala are defective”, the NUT boss said. He stressed that there was no way teachers in the state would resume classes hungry, without being paid, even if the government reopens schools across the state. He said, “What we’re saying is that if all our teachers do not get their salaries up to date and if the union does not get its check-off dues, there is no possibility of schools reopening in Imo State. “The union has not been running since March and government is deducting the check off dues and still not remitting same to the union. And if we don’t react, our members will think we have sold out on them. They’ll think we’ve compromised. “We have romanced with the government by doing whatever they asked us to do. They brought forms and asked us to help them fill and we employed workers to make sure those forms were filled by those the government feels have problems. Yet nothing has been done about the arrears of salaries.” He called on the state government to direct the payment of teachers in the state because, “Most of our teachers are dying in hunger. When somebody that has not been paid since March it means invariably you have sacked that person. “But, I want to encourage those teachers that nobody can sack them. They should continue to be patience”.

…..Colleges of education lecturers declare nationwide strike …….FG okays reopening of NYSC orientation camps The Federal Government says state governments and school administrators should start making preparations for the full reopening of schools in the country. Speaking on Thursday, the National Coordinator of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID -19, Dr Sani Aliyu, during a briefing at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport , Abuja , said the task force recommends phased return of students to classrooms . Aliyu said , “ For educational institutions which include daycare, primary, secondary and tertiary institutions . Educational institutions should begin the process of working towards potentially reopening within this phase “ However , we strongly recommend that states conduct risk assessment to ensure all schools are at a level of compliance and create a monitoring mechanism to assess, create , and monitor this level of preparedness. “ Meanwhile, all daycares and educational institutions are to remain closed to in -classes until this level of risk is assessed. And if there will be opening of schools, it must be staged and preferably carried out in phases to ensure that this does not pose a risk to the general public and in particular to vulnerable groups that might end up getting infected by students going back home. ” Colleges of education lecturers declare nationwide strike The Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union has directed its members nationwide to “ immediately” withdraw their services . The lecturers accused the Federal Government of failing to provide outstanding N 441 billion resulting from the recieved NEEDS Assessment of the Federal Colleges of Education . The President of COEASU , Nuhu Ogirima , made this known during a press conference in Abuja on Thursday. He said , “ We have directed our members nationwide to withdraw their services with effect from today ( Thursday) . “ It is quite evident that the union ’ s agitation is an existential struggle geared towards revitalisation of the COE system . As the main entity for the training of the teachers and managers of the foundation level of the nation ’ s education system , the sustained neglect of COEs portends a grave implication for the development of the entire educational system . “ So , the union hereby formally declares that all options are open for an industrial action against the Federal Government and some notorious state governments . The public should take notice that the NEC shall reconvene shortly to unveil the series of measures that the union shall take towards bailing the COE system from the doldrums and further decadence inherent in the wanton neglect by the government . ” According to him , several efforts through correspondences to get the Federal Government to attend to the demands of the FCsoE in Nigeria failed to yield results. The COEASU President also alleged that Federal Government had been manipulating academic staff salary with the imposition of the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System ; unilateral stoppage of payment of academic staff on sabbatical leave ; imposition of non -negotiated Personal Income Tax and over deduction of payable amount of Contributory Pension Scheme . FG okays reopening of NYSC orientation camps. The Federal Government says the National Youth Service Corps should start making preparations to reopen its orientation camps nationwide. Orientation camps across the country had been shut in March as part of measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease . But speaking on Thursday, the National Coordinator of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID -19, Dr Sani Aliyu, during a briefing at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport , Abuja , said the task force was in the process of developing “ strict guidelines ” to forestall the outbreak of infections when NYSC camps reopen. Aliyu said , “ For the National Youth Service Corps , the NYSC is to consolidate on safety measures currently being put in place and start preparing for the reopening of orientation camps when educational institutions open . “ We are in the process of developing strict guidelines to ensure there is no outbreak of Covid-19 when this process starts. ” The PUNCH had earlier reported that NYSC Director -General , Brig . General Shuaibu Ibrahim , said the scheme had embarked on measures to enable safe and efficient conduct of its operations as soon as FG approved the reopening of its camps. “ Conscious of the possibility of the further or complete lifting of lockdown , the strategies mapped out by the NYSC management had taken care of various scenarios and would be presented to the Presidential Task Force on COVID – 19 through the Nigeria Centre for Disease Centre for guidance , ” Ibrahim had said . Nigerians react on Facebook @Olawale Balogun Finally Mr president has spoken I appreciate the effort of the fg government and state especially Lagos state government on tackling the issue of covid 19 I plead with the fg to please do something about the hike in price of fuel and resolve matters with Asuu so we can have Good and quality education in Nigeria. @Mustapha M Ahmad Confused government full of liars and deceivers, want to divert the masses’ attention from the current high price of commodity and suffering condition. @Owujie Adonye Stephen This government is clueless. The will come out today and say a thing then do the exact opposite the next day. The did same with increment in Power bill, tax, DStv and now it is schools. @Peter Wisdom Owoichogbe They shot in this good news to sway our minds from the recent increments in fuel and electricity bills. Now everyone would be so busy attending to resumption .Wise Govt. @Muhammad Sani Umar Great news. Please they should also ask FG workers to resume at all grades. Ibe Pascal Arogorn