Protests by Primary School Pupils in Kaduna State continued yesterday, as thousands of them besieged various streets and roads in the metropolis, chanting songs against the state government for sacking teachers.
Hundreds of the school children were seen carrying placards and fresh leaves to protest against Governor Nasir El-Rufai, urging him to reinstate the teachers.
Besides, the situation is causing panic in the state, as motorists scampered for safety from major roads.
The state government had to issue a statement yesterday condemning the protest by the primary school pupils and reassured the people of adequate security and safety.
However, labour leaders also responded to the protests, as the state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ango Adamu told The Guardian that the national leadership of the congress would visit Kaduna to hold a solidarity rally with the sacked teachers today.
It threatened that the NLC would mobilise for a total and indefinite strike after the expiration of the two weeks ultimatum by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) to recall the sacked teachers.
Besides, a statement by the spokesman to the governor, Samuel Aruwan said: “The Kaduna State Government has condemned in strong terms the use of primary school pupils for protests by teachers who failed the competency test.
“The government will not tolerate a situation in which adults endanger the life of minors by sending them to the streets on protest.
“It is unfortunate that the children who are victims of the bad teachers are now being used as cannon-fodder by the teachers. The government disclosed that it will take legal measures to punish the wrongdoers, assuring parents outraged by the reckless exploitation of young children by the unqualified teachers that it considers such conduct as unacceptable”.
Meanwhile, Adamu, while reacting to the sacking of the 21,780 teachers in the state and NUT’s ultimatum to the government, said El-Rufai’s decision was unfortunate.
“We are studying the situation and if the Kaduna State Government refuses to recall the teachers after the expiration of the two weeks ultimatum, all the workers will commence an industrial action that will shut down every activity in the state”.
He said the National President of NLC, Ayuba Wabba is expected in Kaduna today to hold solidarity rally with the workers on the state government’s decision to sack the teachers.
“We will not accept this unjust and unfair decision to set a competence test for teachers in the state and raise the pass mark to 70 percent and sack about 22,000 teachers. This is draconian, unjust and unfair. We will not accept such by this Governor. An injury to one is an injury to all,” Adamu said.
