Education is going through the toughest of times in Benue State as primary school children spend the 8th month at home. The plight of the school children was occasioned by the industrial action embarked upon by their teachers.
Surprisingly not much has been heard from either the teachers or the state government in this regard. This continuous silence only confirms the lukewarm attitude of the two stakeholders, who are at loggerheads, to the invaluable role of education.
Obviously two issues tend to present themselves. One, the state of silence from the state government that ought to act as parents to the children is despicable. The state is directly suggesting that education of the children is not necessary or not important to the survival of Benue State. The government’s position is gradually creating the wrong impression that Benue State can do without public primary schools. Agreed that the children of Governor Gabriel Suswam would not “condescend” so low to attend a public school, that is not to say those children whose parents do not have the wherewithal should be allowed to waste at home.
It is surprising how Suswam and his commissioner for education and other members of the state executive council feel when the state is in such a coma for close to one year. This is not an enviable posture, considering the fact that Benue has always been one of the nation’s education friendly states.At one point, the state government took the responsibility of paying the salaries of teachers even in private schools so that standard would be maintained. At the time, long before the coming of Suswam, teachers in other states were envious of their Benue counterparts.
The present state of education in the Benue State is unacceptable. It is unfortunate that despite the presence of men and women of “timber and calibre”, “the political juggernauts”, and “caterpillars and bulldozers”, Benue is in this state of anomie.It is worrisome why no one can call Suswam to order. Is he waiting for Benue teachers or their umbrella union, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), to give him the roadmap to run education in the state?
Unfortunately, the teachers will not mind because of the inability of the state government to meet their demand for the implementation of the national minimum wage as being enjoyed by other workers in the state.While the Benue State wing of the NUT may be commended for its doggedness in fighting for the welfare of its members, it should use a stronger platform to negotiate for the resolution of the crisis in the state. Benue teachers should also think more about the future of the children.
The common practice today is that when there is an industrial conflict between teachers and the government, the teacher has a double gain. He takes the time to go to his farm and still collects his unmerited salary arrears when the strike is eventually called off. The children lose because they miss a number of months – some of them drop out of school. The government pays salaries to the teacher for a job not done.
Governments, state or federal, must be the one to plan education. They should pay competitive salaries to those they employ. Unqualified persons should be shown the way out so that the best can be given to the children. The present system where salary increase only comes from dispute is wrong and does not set the standards.
We advise Governor Suswam to act fast to end the lingering primary school teachers’ strike action in his state.
