Approval Amidst Teacher Protests
In a swift response to the recent protests by primary school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) over unpaid salaries, Minister Nyesom Wike has given the green light for the disbursement of N7 billion.
The funds are intended to cover 25% of the salary arrears owed to these educators in the nation’s capital.
Disclosure by FCT Education Secretary
The Secretary for Education in the Federal Capital Territory Administration, Danlami Hayyo, revealed this significant development during a familiarization visit to the FCT Universal Basic Education Board in Abuja.
The announcement follows a demonstration by FCT primary school teachers, who, just three days prior, had taken to the streets to express their grievances and called on both Nyesom Wike and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene.
Breakdown of Payment and Collaborative Efforts
While addressing the media during the visit, Hayyo outlined the payment plan. According to him, the FCT Administration will cover 40% of the overdue arrears, leaving the remaining 60% to be paid by the Area Councils.
This move is part of a collaborative effort to alleviate the financial burden on the primary school teachers.
Mandate for Timely Payments
Hayyo stressed that the FCT Administration has given a mandate to both the Area Councils and the FCT to ensure that the funds are disbursed within three months.
He emphasized that the payment would be deducted at the source and remitted to the concerned parties, providing a timeline for the resolution of the salary arrears.
Collaboration for Mandate Achievement
During the visit, Hayyo expressed the purpose of collaboration between the secretariat and the FCT Universal Basic Education Board, emphasizing the importance of working together to achieve the educational mandate.
He acknowledged the Board’s counterpart funding and the presence of resources from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) to address the challenges faced by the primary school teachers.
Commitment to Utilize Available Resources
Hayyo concluded by assuring that the available resources from UBEC and UBEB would be effectively utilized to address the ongoing challenges, providing a glimpse of hope for the teachers awaiting their overdue salary payments.