The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Bayelsa state government to fully pay the four months’ half salary of all teachers or the teachers in the state would stop working.

This, they said, would affect their expected participation in the conduct of the National Common Entrance and other examinations.

The state wing executive council of the NUT Bayelsa State chapter issued a 9-point communiqué titled ‘Not Until We Perish’ highlighting their resolution after an emergency meeting to discuss the lingering non-payment of six months’ salaries to primary and secondary school teachers.

The state chairman of the NUT, Kalama Tonpre, while reading the communiqué, said that the union was committed to enhancing public school system but demands improved working conditions.

He highlighted “the apparent hardship suffered by teachers on account of the prolonged non-payment of over six months’ salaries owed primary and secondary school teachers in order to be at par with other civil servants in the state.”

Other problems discussed were the planned dismissal of teachers employed in 2008/2009, the non-payment of duty post allowances, shifting the responsibility of funding primary school teachers’ salaries to local government councils and non-implementation of promotions.

Others are the 18,000 naira minimum wage arrears and non-inclusion of stakeholders in state education law committee.

According to them, if these issues are not resolved, they would stop working.

The chairman continued by saying “an ultimatum of 21 days from today is given to the Bayelsa state government to fully pay the four months’ salaries of all teachers and address other problems.”

“For some teachers, these months without salary have been hellish as daily survival has been a major challenge.”

The government on their part say they would do their best to pay the salaries for as many months as they can afford. (Channels TV)