The Oyo State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT),
yesterday went on a peaceful protest against the proposed local
governments’ autonomy in Ibadan, the capital city.
They said if local governments autonomy was imperative for the
federal and state governments, payment of primary school teachers,
funding and management of the schools should not be the responsibility
of the local councils.
The rally, which took-off at the Agodi Secretariat of the
Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), was led by the state chairman, Niyi Akano and the state
Trade Unions Congress (TUC) chairman, Waheed Olojede, to deliver their protest letter to Governor Abiola Ajimobi.
The placards carrying teachers argued that granting political,
financial or administrative autonomy to the local government, would mean
transferring the management, equipping and funding of primary school
education to the local government.
They said the burden would be too heavy for the third tier of
government to bear.Some of the inscriptions on the placard read:
“Nigeria Union of Teachers, Oyo State Wing says no to local government’s
autonomy,” “Basic education is a right of every child,”
“Local government councils do not have the capacity to pay primary
school teachers salaries,” “Basic education is a right and must be
protected by all,” “Foundation of education in Nigeria under threat
again,” among others.
Akano said that the rally was not a protest against salary arrears
but a fight for the soul of primary education in the state and the
country at large.
Olojede maintained that allowing the local governments to take charge
of the primary school education in the country was a good way of
sending the sector back to the woods, saying that the teachers would not
support local government autonomy in any way
He suggested that payment of primary school teachers’ salaries and entitlements should be left with
State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).
Deputy Governor, Moses Adeyemo assured that he would deliver their
demands of the group to the governor.Adeyemo who expressed shock at the
massive turn out noted that until the protest, he had thought the
teachers are strong advocate of local government autonomy.