TSS: Governors' Forum To The Rescue

Relief came the way of pupils and students in the nation's public primary and secondary schools, who were unable to complete the 2007/2008 academic session. Now there is hope of completing the session within the next two weeks or thereabout.

The nationwide teachers' strike has at last been suspended. The teachers embarked on the strike to demand the implementation of a special salary scale tagged Teachers Salary Scale (TSS).

The Federal Government and the NUT were locked in a disagreement over the approval of the salary scale, as Federal Government refused to grant the teachers' demand, claiming it is the duty of state government, because the running of primary and secondary education is on the concurrent power list in the constitution.

The NUT on the other hand is asking the Federal Government to give it a backing paper to commence negotiation for the payment of the TSS, saying it cannot go to the states without backing paper from the central government.

However, Governors' Forum led by Bukola Saraki of Kwara State, worried by the way the strike has disrupted academic calendar and the attending implication on the country waded into the crisis and brokered peace, leading to the suspension of the almost a month old strike by the NUT.

Following the intervention of the Forum which met with the leadership of NUT and the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) on Monday, July 28, 2008 leading to the setting up of an 11-man committee headed by the Kaduna State Governor, Nenadi Sambo, to look into the teachers demand.

The committee would examine the TSS and devise workable method of hitch-free payment.

Saraki said on Monday, after the meeting, that the governors felt concerned to intervene in the dispute, which prompted them to call for dialogue to end the strike, and find ways to address the long-term problems.

"It was clear from the meeting that we are focused on ending the strike through the details we discussed. We have made an appeal to them to call off the strike immediately and they have agreed to hold their National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.

"We have put up our team already and we are equally set to swing into action, especially in the area of coming up with favourable terms that are acceptable to most of the states," he said.

Saraki explained that once the committee concludes its discussions, it would be tabled before the Governors' Forum for implementation. He said the Federal Government is right in shifting the responsibility to States.

However, after a 10-hour deliberation, the NEC of NUT finally suspended the strike for two weeks.

Acting President of NUT, Mr. Nelson Onem, told newsmen in Abuja that having considered the intervention of the governors, the NUT decided to suspend the strike for two weeks, hoping that the committee set up by the Forum would come out with agreeable terms.

He directed teachers in public primary and secondary schools in the country to resume classes immediately pending the outcome of the 11-man negotiation team headed by the Kaduna State Governor, Nenadi Sambo.

Onem said the suspension of the strike for two weeks is to make sure that the committee does not fail in it assignment as well as a respect to the governors for their intervention. The 11-man committee, it was gathered, has commenced work immediately in Abuja.

Commenting on the issue, education watchers commended the governors for their intervention, saying that what the Minister of Education could not achieve the governors had done in two days.

Chairman of NUT, Lagos State chapter, Mr. Michael Olukoya, who confirmed the return of his members to classrooms, said they returned because they believed in the leadership of NUT.

He said the teachers are happy that the issue of TSS is being resolved, adding that teachers' confidence in the leadership of NUT has increased.

Olukoya who is also the state chairman of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), commended the Bukola Saraki led Governors' Forum for resolving the contentious issue, saying, "what the Federal Government could not do the governors have done."

But the question is "will this be on temporal basis or would the teachers resume the suspended strike if the committee failed to arrive at a conclusion.

Education analysts says the committee would come out with acceptable salary scale that will be acceptable to all, saying that the committee cannot afford to fail and that resumption of the strike would not augur well for the nation and as well undermine the integrity of the governors.

Saraki further noted that, "it was clear from the meeting that we are focused on ending the strike through the details we discussed. We have put up our team already and we are equally set to swing into action especially on the aspect of coming up with favourable terms that are acceptable to most of the States."

NUT on its part is hopeful that a lasting solution would be found.

Acting President of NUT, Nelson Onem, said the union is convinced of the sincerity, interest and assurance exhibited by the Governors' Forum.

The Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Ahmed Modibbo Mohammed in his reaction commended the governors for their intervention and also expressed confidence that the committee would work out an acceptable salary plan for all teachers thereby ending the strike permanently.