PRESS RELEASE 3RD JULY,2020
PRIVATE SCHOOL TEACHERS UNION WANTS SCHOOLS REOPENED
The National Association of Private School Teachers (NAPST) welcome the decision of the Federal Government to partially reopen schools to allow the graduating students take their final examinations. This is a very welcomed step towards preparing grounds for the quick resumption of schools across the country. We commend wholeheartedly the efforts made by the Ministry of Education towards doing the needful for the Nigerian child. What we must do,however, is to find a way to live and carry out our daily activities amidst the Covid 19 pandemic in a safe way.
We do not agree with the NUT who feel that schools should remain closed forever provided they are paid their monthly salary, forgetting that no matter how long we stay at home, eventually , we shall all come out to face the pandemic and live around the new normal. What responsible governments around the world are doing is finding safe ways of opening the schools, hence, putting in place guidelines that will make sure the school environment is safe. Once that is done, schools should be able to resume across the country.
The National Leadership of National Association of Private School Teachers (NAPST) however, urge the Federal Government to Pay Private School teachers monthly stipends to help salvage them by way of feeding and sustaining their families pending when schools will finally be reopened. Many families have both the husband and wife as teachers and these Private school teachers are also tax payers, tax deductions are done at the source before their salaries are paid, but since March majority of private school teachers have not been paid anything, how will they take care of their families and pay their bills? It is completely inconsiderate for private schools teachers to be neglected at such a time, despite the immense contributions done by them to the development of the children of Nigeria.
We can provide from our database the details of Private School Teachers around the six geopolitical zones when required by government, so that monthly financial support can be given directly to these teachers as it is done in Brazil and other climes. We know that the government will not be happy to know that its key citizens go to bed without food each day and with no hope in sight. We are convinced that the plight of private school teachers around the country will be looked into and with utmost urgency as a lot of us might eventually leave the educational sector which might cause future gaps if not given thoughtful consideration.
Long live NAPST,
Long live Federal Republic of Nigeria
Comrade Akhigbe Olumhense
National Chairman
Habiba Obagah National Secretary
www.napst.org.ng , 08036660387