Ebola: Teachers in Cross River, Imo, Abia, Benue, Akwa Ibom refuse to resume

Despite Cross River State government’s directive that schools should be reopened, most schools remained shut yesterday, as teachers insisted that they will not work.

They said they would not resume without being equipped to manage the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) Mr. Eyo Nsa Itam told The Nation that they were in alignment with the Federal Government’s directive that states, which were ready, should reopen schools.

According to him, Cross River was not ready.

The Commissioner for Education, Prof. Offiong Offiong, said schools were ready for reopening.

When our reporter visited schools, some pupils resumed, but they were asked to go home.

Pupils in Imo State public schools were sent home yesterday by teachers, who said schools would remain closed pending further directives from the NUT.

The state chapter of the union said it would join the national body to ensure that Ebola preventive facilities were provided in public schools.

Speaking with reporters, the state Chairman of the NUT, Dr. Cletus Iwu Okeke, said the state’s branch would abide by the decision of the national body to ensure a safe environment for pupils.

When The Nation visited Owerri Girls Secondary School, pupils were leaving the premises. They said their teachers asked them to go home.

The state president of private proprietors, Chris Ineh, said their compliance was based on the health facility provided by the Federal Government.

The much-expected reopening of private and public schools for the 2014/15 session did not take place yesterday in Abia State, as the state chapter of the NUT said its members would only resume when government provided the equipment to protect them and pupils from EVD.

Instead of reopening schools, NUT directed its members to attend a meeting on the way forward.

When our reporter visited School Road Primary School, Ibeku High School and other schools in Umuahia, pupils and teachers were not seen, as the classrooms remained shut.

At the School Road Primary School, Umuahia, venue of the NUT meeting, the chairman of the local chapter was not present.

Other union leaders refused to speak to reporters on the outcome of the meeting.

A teacher, John Idika, said the union was not considering any strike.

Said he: “Our interest is to draw the attention of the government to the need to provide public schools with Ebola preventive kits, as directed by the governor.”

At the Ministry of Education where the kits were being distributed to schools, the Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Monica Philips and the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Victoria Chigbu, could not speak to reporters, as they were distributing kits, such as thermometers, buckets, sanitisers, dispensing kits and soaps to head teachers.

Water would be supplied to the schools through an arrangement made by the Education Ministry.

Public primary and secondary schools in Benue State failed to resume yesterday as directed by the Federal Government.

It was, however, a different scenario in private schools, as most of the pupils resumed for the new academic session.

When The Nation visited private schools, pupils were being taught by teachers, while their counterparts in public schools stayed away from classrooms, as they were shut.

The NUT Chairman, Mr. Godwin Aya, said teachers would resume next month as directed by the Federal Government.

He urged government to put in place steps to prevent children from contracting EVD.

Private nursery, primary and secondary schools in Akwa Ibom State resumed classes yesterday, while their public counterparts remained shut.

The state NUT said last week that it would not resume classes for the new session unless EVD was addressed by the government.

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