Apac secondary teachers strike over salary arrears
Students are left stranded at Ibuje Secondary School on March 14, 2023 as secondary school teachers on government payroll laid down their tools over salary arrears. PHOTO/SANTO OJOK
What you need to know:
- Several students were on March 15 left stranded in schools as the teachers declined to attend to them.
Dozens of secondary school teachers on government payroll in Apac District have laid down their tools over failure by the district authorities to clear their two-month salary arrears.
The aggrieved teachers last week stormed the office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) demanding an explanation as to why they were not paid their salaries for November and December 2022.
They gave the district leadership up to March 13 to sort them out before they could withdraw their services.
Consequently, students were on Wednesday left stranded in schools as the teachers declined to attend to them.
Some of the affected learnign institutions include Akokoro, Apac Seed, Chegere and Ibuje secondary schools.
Mr Emanuel Elvis Owira, a teacher at Ibuje Secondary School in Ibuje Town Council, also the spokesperson of Apac Secondary School Staff Association, said they are not going back to classroom if their salary arrears are not cleared.
“We need the district to clear the salary arrears that we are demanding,” he told this publication by telephone on Wednesday.
“We shall continue to be at school but not to submit ourselves in classes until our November and December salary arrears are cleared,” he added.
Students loiter around at Ibuje Secondary School on March 14, 2023 as secondary school teachers on government payroll laid down their tools over salary arrears. PHOTO/SANTO OJOK
Mr Joel Peter Odia, the head teacher of Ibuje Secondary School, said the ongoing teachers’ strike has affected the normal running of the school activities, urging the district leadership to urgently handle the matter.
“It is unfortunate that students are left unattended to and this makes the learning process a bit challenging,” he said.
Mr Edward Ogwang,
At Chegere Secondary School, business remained paralyzed as some of the teachers were not working.
“I have a few teachers who are not on the government payroll and they are teaching but the majority of teachers who are on the government payroll are not at school,” Chegere head teacher Edward Ogwang said.
Mr James Akeba, the head teacher of Apac Seed Secondary School, observed that the situation was similar in almost the entire district.
“My teachers are not teaching. I am trying my best to convince them to go back to class as we follow up the issue with the district leadership,” he added.
The Apac senior education officer, Mr Patrick Ocen, said they are dialoguing with the aggrieved teachers to go back to classroom as they look for money to fully clear their accumulated salary arrears.
