Bayelsa teachers suspend strike, resume new session

Teachers in government- owned primary and secondary schools in Bayelsa State have suspended their industrial action.

The teachers resumed the 2016/17 academic session last Monday.

The resumption followed a directive from the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) to striking members after public schools in the state delayed resumption for the new session due to the failure of the state government to settle eight months salary backlog of teachers.

The union resorted to strike as the state government had reneged on an earlier agreement reached in May to pay half salaries to its workers pending improvements in the finances of the state.

Commissioner for Education, Marson Fefegha, said that public primary and secondary schools in the state will resumed on Monday following a truce between the striking workers and the state government.

On the plans to cover lost grounds in the school curriculum in the state, Fefegha said that the NUT had assured that they would fast track teachings to meet up.

“Schools just resumed today and teachers need one week to settle down to work but NUT has assured the government that they will meet up”, he said.

Chairman of Bayelsa chapter of the NUT, Kalaama Toinpre, said that the teachers across the state had returned to the classrooms and were ready to teach.

The union leader said that the decision was communicated to members who were directed to resume work immediately.