NUT Oyo Suspends Strike After Government Appeal

Following the abduction of school children and members of staff in Oriire LGA, Ogbomosho, the Oyo State Chapter of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) embarked on an indefinite strike. The strike which lasted for a month before it was called off was to demonstrate  concerns about the level of security in the state and the increasingly dangerous working conditions in schools. On July 1st,  the Oyo State NUT Chairman Hassan Ajibola Fatai, and Secretary Olukayode Salami, called off the strike in a statement that referenced directives from the union’s national leadership and appeals from the Oyo State Government.

The Oyo NUT strike was a collective demonstration intended to signal to the government and the general public that Oyo teachers no longer feel safe working under conditions that leave them and their charges susceptible to abduction. The strike was a cry for urgent intervention in the issue of insecurity across the state, especially as it concerned teachers and students. It also put pressure towards the release of about 40 pupils that had been abducted since the 15th of May, alongside a principal and other teachers–one of whom was beheaded on camera.

The Oyo State Government appealed to the NUT to suspend the strike and return to normal activities on the grounds that the strike holds broader consequences for students and families whose absence from school has been prolonged and could lead to the development of vices.

The government has assured teachers that measures are being put in place to improve the educational system, such as the approval of  8.7 billion for learning resources at primary and junior secondary school levels. This assurance comes despite the union’s earlier declaration that the strike was not aimed at soliciting welfare for the educational system, but agitating for improved security in the state. On June 23rd, the union had insisted that until concrete measures were put in place to improve the quality of security in schools, the schools would remain shut. Nonetheless, the strike has now been suspended in the light of improved access to educational materials and assurances of strengthened security efforts.

What Has Changed Since the Suspension?

School activities have now resumed in the area, with NUT promising its commitment to advocating for the safety of teachers and students alike. The abducted schoolchildren  and teachers are yet to be rescued and there was a recent enforcement of a 48-hour curfew in 10 local government areas  by the state government, against the backdrop of the government’s promises to resolve security concerns.

The Oyo State Government has however promised dedication to rescuing  abducted teachers and pupils as well as the initiation of other preventive safeguarding initiatives. One of which is the launch of the Joint Security Task Force to stand guard at sensitive routes and unprotected schools, and another is the implementation of the Safe School initiative, which features rapid emergency response and regular warning systems. 

The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa has lauded the Oyo State Government for the negotiations with the NUT aimed at returning school activities to normal and securing uninterrupted education.

While the suspension of the strike allows academic activities to resume, it does not necessarily signal that the underlying crisis has been resolved. The union’s primary demand was improved security, not increased funding for educational resources that the government has now provided. As schools reopen, teachers and parents continue to grapple with concerns about whether existing security measures are sufficient to prevent future attacks. The government’s ability to rescue the abducted pupils and implement its promised Safe School initiatives will likely determine whether confidence in the education system in Oyo state can be fully restored.