Former presidential aide and political commentator, Laolu Akande, has urged the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, along with the six area council chairmen, to take immediate steps to resolve the ongoing strike by Abuja primary school teachers. He warned that the prolonged industrial action is jeopardising the future of thousands of children who have been left idle at home.
Speaking during his My Take segment on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande on Channels Television, Akande painted a grim picture of conditions in Abuja’s public primary schools, describing them as a reflection of a nationwide crisis affecting public education and healthcare. He stressed that low-income families are the hardest hit by these systemic failures and criticised state governors and local government leaders for neglecting their responsibilities in managing primary education.
Akande pointed out that despite nearly 300 billion naira in Universal Basic Education Commission funds remaining unused since 2020, state leaders have been slow to act. He argued that the federal government should not shoulder blame for primary education failures, as responsibility lies primarily with state and local authorities.
Highlighting the dire situation in the FCT, Akande condemned the three-month strike by primary school teachers, triggered by unpaid salaries and allowances. He expressed concern over deteriorating learning conditions, such as overcrowded and dilapidated classrooms lacking basic furniture, as seen in schools like the Local Education Authority Primary School in Sabon Geri, where over 500 pupils are reportedly crammed into unsuitable facilities.
Akande criticised the disparity between federal workers, who are benefitting from the new minimum wage, and FCT teachers, who remain excluded. He cited a report from the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria where parents, speaking in frustration, described how their children had been confined at home for months due to the strike and pleaded for government intervention.
He emphasised that the teachers’ demands, which include the immediate implementation of the new minimum wage, the enforcement of existing agreements, and the payment of salary arrears, are reasonable and should not be ignored. Akande described the strike as a crisis that risks inflicting lasting harm on the education and prospects of countless young Nigerians.
He concluded by questioning the collective conscience of leaders and citizens alike, asking how such a crucial issue could be allowed to linger while the education of thousands of children hangs in the balance.
