The Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has said that the state will not negotiate with a ‘politicised’ Nigeria Union of Teachers, noting that their demand should fall within the program he has designed for primary school. At a stakeholders forum organised by the State Universal Basic Education with the theme “Improving collaboration in the provision of basic education” in Benin on Monday, the Governor said there was no going back in his quest to improve basic education, which he said was the foundation of whatever the people are today.
He alleged that a segment of the leadership of the union has become politicised and it influenced the last strike by primary school teachers.
He said, “What we saw the last time were not the teachers going on strike, it was a part of the leadership of their union that has become political that are playing politics with the lives of our children.
We don’t have a problem with the teachers of this state but a section of the leadership of the union who have decided to politicise the issue and derail what we have started.
“As the Governor of Edo State that was elected by the people of the state, I am ready to fight with anybody in the state that wants to jeopardise our mission.
So, we are not going to negotiate with that politicised section of the Union. We will not be intimidated. We are going to fight as long as you want to derail EdoBEST, it is not a threat but I just want to assure you that we have the mandate of the Edo people to move the state forward.
“I hear they are still threatening that the strike is not over, I wish them luck and I want you the stakeholders to join us to make sure that the right thing is done.
Earlier, the Chairman of SUBEB, Dr Joan Oviawe, said she came up with EdoBEST (Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation) to reposition basic education in the state.
She said that in the last four years through EdoBEST, more kids have stayed in school, while teachers in the state are the best paid in the country with the restoration of all their previously withheld emoluments and plans to recruit 3,000 more teachers.