Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Public primary and secondary school teachers across the Federal Capital Territory are set to withdraw their services indefinitely from Monday following a directive issued by the State Wing Executive Council (SWEC) of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), FCT chapter, in a development that is expected to disrupt academic activities across Abuja and its surrounding districts.
The decision was announced in a communiqué issued after an emergency SWEC meeting held in Gwagwalada, Abuja, on Friday, and released to journalists on Saturday. The document was jointly signed by the State Chairman, Abdullahi Shafa; State Secretary, Margaret Jethro; and State Publicity Secretary, Ibukun Adekeye, who outlined the reasons behind the union’s decision and the breakdown of negotiations with authorities.
According to the union, the industrial action follows what it described as prolonged delays, unmet commitments, and unresolved welfare concerns affecting teachers in the FCT public education system, despite previous suspensions of strikes based on government assurances and interventions.
The union directed all teachers in public primary and secondary schools within the FCT to strictly comply with the strike order and remain at home indefinitely until their demands are fully addressed. It also advised parents and guardians to keep their children at home, citing safety concerns and the total shutdown of academic activities in public schools during the strike period.
The latest escalation comes after a series of negotiations between the teachers’ union and the FCT Administration under Minister Nyesom Wike. The dispute centres on outstanding entitlements, promotion bottlenecks, and the implementation of agreements reached in earlier interventions intended to resolve long-standing industrial tensions in the education sector.
The union recalled that a seven-day ultimatum was issued to the FCT Minister on March 11, 2026, which expired on March 29 without what it described as a meaningful response to the core demands of teachers. Although some interventions were acknowledged, the union maintained that critical issues remain unresolved.
Among the interventions previously implemented was the approval of the new N70,000 minimum wage structure for teachers, alongside the payment of nine months’ salary arrears owed to primary school teachers in the FCT. While the union recognised these as positive steps, it insisted that they did not fully address the broader welfare concerns of educators in the territory.
A central point of contention is the committee established on July 7, 2025, following a prolonged 14-week strike that was suspended on July 9, 2025, after assurances from the FCT Administration. The committee was tasked with harmonising all outstanding entitlements of primary school teachers and developing long-term solutions to recurring industrial disputes in the sector.
The committee reportedly completed its assignment and submitted its report in August 2025. However, according to the union, the findings and recommendations have neither been made public nor implemented, a situation it describes as a major source of frustration and mistrust between teachers and government authorities.
Teachers argue that the continued withholding of the report has contributed to renewed agitation, especially given rising economic pressures and inflationary challenges affecting public sector workers in the FCT. They maintain that the delay undermines confidence in negotiation processes and weakens previous agreements reached to avoid industrial action.
Another major demand raised by the union relates to the promotion structure within the FCT education system. Teachers are calling for the removal of the “vacancies” requirement as a condition for promotion, which they describe as restrictive and unfair, particularly for qualified educators who meet performance criteria but are blocked by administrative limitations.
The union is also demanding a comprehensive review of the 2024 promotion exercise conducted by the FCT Civil Service Commission. According to the teachers, the exercise was flawed and resulted in the stagnation of many eligible staff members, thereby affecting morale and professional progression within the teaching workforce.
The communiqué further expressed concern that despite the expiration of the seven-day ultimatum and an additional 28-day grace period reportedly granted to authorities, there has been no substantive engagement or tangible action addressing the unresolved issues.
SWEC stated that it had exhausted all internal mechanisms for dialogue and negotiation before resorting to the decision to embark on an indefinite strike. It emphasised that the action was not taken lightly but became necessary due to what it described as persistent silence on legitimate demands and continued delays in implementing agreed resolutions.
The union also noted that previous strike actions had significantly disrupted academic activities in the FCT, but were suspended in good faith following assurances from the government. It warned that the current breakdown in communication and implementation has eroded trust between teachers and authorities.
With the new strike set to commence on Monday, public schools across the FCT are expected to shut down indefinitely, affecting thousands of pupils and students. Parents have already begun expressing concern over the timing of the action, particularly as it comes during a critical academic period.
Education stakeholders warn that another prolonged shutdown could have long-term consequences on learning outcomes, examination preparation, and academic progression, especially for students in terminal classes.
As of the time of this report, there has been no official statement from the FCT Administration responding to the strike notice. However, sources suggest that efforts may still be underway to engage union leaders in last-minute negotiations aimed at preventing a total shutdown of the school system.
The situation adds to ongoing tensions within Nigeria’s public education sector, where disputes over welfare, promotions, and implementation of agreements have repeatedly led to industrial actions in recent years. Analysts say the recurring nature of these strikes highlights deeper structural challenges in education funding and labour relations.
For now, uncertainty remains over how long the strike may last, with the union insisting that only full implementation of its demands will lead to a suspension of the action. Until then, the FCT public school system is expected to remain closed, marking yet another major disruption to education in the nation’s capital.
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