Tag: Abia teachers

The Abia chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has threatened to embark on an indefinite strike if the state government failed to address its welfare demands within seven days.

The threat is contained in a notice of ultimatum issued on Monday and signed by the state NUT Chairman, Mr Friday Madu, and the Secretary, Mrs Nnenna Okonkwo.

The ultimatum, which expired at midnight on Jan. 12, followed what the union described as government inaction on issues earlier raised in a communiqué dated Dec. 19, 2025.

The union lamented that the industrial harmony currently enjoyed in the state was being endangered by the failure of relevant government officials to act on teachers’ grievances.

Key among the demands are the resolution of alleged irregularities in the 65/40 years service elongation policy, including illegal disengagement of teachers, removal from payroll, and demotion of head teachers.

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Others include the payment of outstanding salary arrears owed to primary and junior secondary school teachers and reinstatement of the 27.5 per cent Teachers’ Special Salary Structure for primary school teachers.

The NUT also demanded salary harmonisation among teachers on the same grade level and implementation of consequential minimum wage adjustments for secondary school teachers.

It also demanded release of approved running costs for head teachers, payment of outstanding leave allowances.

Part of the NUT demand is also the correction of the alleged wrongful remittance of NUT dues to the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions.

It further called for the cancellation of the proposed Computer-Based Test format for promotion interviews.

The union warned that failure to meet these demands at the expiration of the ultimatum would leave it with no option but to direct its members to commence an indefinite strike.(NAN)

…says Igbo language, history now compulsory subjects

The Abia state government has shortlisted 9,371 applicants for the teachers’ recruitment exercise.

The shortlisted candidates will be invited for a Computer Based Test (CBT) on a soon-to-be-announced date.

Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, disclosed this while briefing the press on the outcome of this week’s State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Alex Otti.

He mentioned that the portal for applications was shut down on February 12th and the applications have since been processed.

“The portal for the recruitment of teachers was shut down on the 12th February 2025 and at the last count, about 29,797 applications were received.

“Out of this number, 9,371 applications were shortlisted and the shortlisted applications would be made to undergo a CBT as earlier announced.

“Those who passed the exams would be invited for oral interview after which the successful ones would be hired.

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“The process of recruitment of these teachers has been designed to be transparent and merit-based,” Prince Kanu stated.

The commissioner used the opportunity to announce that on Wednesday the 26th of February 2025, Governor Alex Otti would be unveiling a major educational programme tagged ABIAFIRST with the theme, “Re-imagining Education in Abia, Unleashing the  Potential of  Every Abia Youth.”

He described the programme as a visionary project that will revolutionize the educational system in the state and create world-class educational opportunities for every Abia child.

Prince Kanu further announced that the Abia state government has made the Igbo language a compulsory subject in the state’s school system from primary school to SS2.

According to him, “The Igbo language which happens to be the identity of our people has been made compulsory in our schools up to SS2 level. This is to make sure our children are grounded in their mother tongue.

“It’s hoped that the compulsory re-introduction of the Igbo language will help drive the cultural and social revolution that this government is embarking upon,” Prince Kanu explained

He also disclosed that the state government has re-introduced the study of History in Abia schools with immediate effect and stressed the importance of History as a subject in basic and secondary education.

“Any society that is interested in making progress must be deliberate about keeping its history.

“We believe Abia state has a rich historical background which we are proud of and we intend to tell our children and succeeding generations our history,”

Contributing, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Elder Goodluck Ubochi explained that though History has been made compulsory in the past, most of the things taught in History tend to be a repetition of Civic Education.

“There is a new curriculum that is about to be released. It has been approved. By next academic year that new curriculum will be on board.

“But one good thing is that the state has the right to adjust a curriculum as it suits us.

“So, we are going to rejig the curriculum to bring those historical facts for which we are known into the curriculum so that a child who goes through secondary education will be able to know the basic history that makes Igbos very different from any others,” Elder Ubochi stated.

On the side of the teachers’ recruitment exercise, Elder Ubochi explained how the Governor approved the increase in the number of those to be recruited from 2,500 to 5,000.

“Last time I was here, I told us that the State Executive Council graciously approved that 2,500 teachers be recruited.

“At the end of today, after reviewing the level of influx of children in our schools because of the free and compulsory education, we had to request the Governor to approve a higher number.

“By the time we are through with this process, about 5,000 teachers would be employed,” Elder Ubochi assure