#Ebola: Nigerian Union of Teachers threaten strike over schools’ resumption date

The Nigerian Union of Teachers has threatened to go on strike if the Federal Government fails to put in place measures to protect its members and pupils from contracting the deadly Ebola Virus Disease before the   resumption of schools.

But the Federal Government says there is no going back on the date since there is no scientific basis for schools to remain shut beyond the September 22 resumption date announced by the Minister of Education, Ibrahim Shekarau.

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The NUT National President, Michael Alogba, in a telephone interview   with one of our correspondents on Wednesday, stated that the union would not allow   any of its members to teach until it was scientifically and medically proven that the country was out of the Ebola scourge.

The Federal Government initially fixed October 13 as schools’ resumption date but it later announced the new date , saying that the country was almost Ebola-free.

But the new date drew criticism from doctors, activists and civil society groups who alleged that the government was stampeded into announcing it by some powerful school proprietors.

On Tuesday, the House of Representatives directed its Committee on Education to take another look at the September 22 resumption date in view of the fact that the EVD had yet to be contained in the country.

Alogba said the NUT   had already written the Federal Government about its position on the September 22 date.

He   warned that   if the new date was not extended by Monday, the NUT national executive council would meet on Tuesday in Abuja to take a drastic action.

The NUT chairman said, “In any sane society, decision such as this will not be taken until the government and all stakeholders have met and discussed the issue at stake and are sure that the nation is scientifically and medical free from the scourge.

“But this is not the case in our country. When they arrived at the early October 13 date, they wrote us and we agreed with their argument but when this new date was given, they did not because of the influence of some powerful school owners who put pressure on them (Federal Government) to announce the September 22 date.

“Anyway, we have written to tell them that if the   Federal Government does not shift the date and provide all necessary safety measures in schools before Monday next week, all NUT leaders will meet in Abuja by 9am on Tuesday to decide our fate by ourselves. “Though I don’t want to preempt the outcome of the meeting but as teachers who have families and who should protect our future, I mean our students, we will shun the classes; we will call for strike.

“What kind of government is this, don’t they know that children can never be as hygienic as adults? Don’t they know that the immunity level of children is not as high as that of adults? Why do you want to open schools when you have not cleared out the virus; when you still have about 400 people under surveillance in Port Harcourt and Lagos?

“You are aware of what is happening at the Obafemi Awolowo University. How are we sure that there is no primary or secondary school pupil that has had   contact with an Ebola patient.

“It’s good that the   NMA (Nigerian Medical Association) has spoken and we have told them too that we would not cooperate with them. That   is why we are going to take a drastic action on Tuesday to protect ourselves and our children.

“I can tell you that we will shun schools; we won’t cooperate with them. In other words, we will embark on strike.”

Also, the Media Concern Initiative for Women and Children said there was no need for the government to rush into the reopening of schools.

Its Executive Director,   Princess Olufemi-Kayode, therefore urged the government to discard the latest resumption date.

She said, “How many children will be able to do proper hygiene in schools? It is like creating a nuclear weapon in our nation. Who are the schools opening for?

“The government is   not being factual with us because there are new cases. For me, my child is not going back to school.”

The Education Rights Campaign and Muslim Students Society of Nigeria, Lagos State Area Unit also faulted the directive by the government.

The President of the ERC , Hassan Soweto, who accused the government of   attempting to risk the lives of pupils, alleged that the goal of the directive was to justify political rallies and gatherings by supporters of President Goodluck Jonathan.

He said, “ EVD is a great crisis but it is not one that should affect the pupils alone. If the Ministry of Education has decided to fix a day for resumption, it must therefore mean that all the mechanisms needed to ensure the safety of pupils are in place in   schools.

“Facilities approved by the World Health Organisation   for the prevention of EVD have to be provided accross the nation, whether it is private or public.

The President of the MSSN , Lagos State Area Unit, Kamil Kalejaiye, warned that it was dangerous to expose   pupils to risk.

He described the decision to reopen   the schools as “hasty “, saying no visible measures has been put in place to curtail the disease.

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