Delta Teachers Threaten Showdown Over Harmonised Salary

Teachers in Delta State

have threatened to shut down public schools in the State unless their primary school counterparts are paid the N17,000 harmonised salary.

A document made available to The Tide by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) Delta State said that to avert the impending industrial action, teachers have given the State government 14 days to effect the payment.

The document stated that teachers are of the view that the existing 27.5 per cent teachers’ Enhanced Allowance was their bonafide emolument, as it is in keeping with industrial conventions and labour practice.

It noted that teachers expressed dissatisfaction over the exclusion of their colleagues in primary schools from the harmonised salary structure, which was implemented in April in the state.

“The denial of this new pay to the teachers has had a debilitating effect on the psyche and socio-economic status of primary schools teachers whose patience has unfortunately run out,” the document stated.

It decried the comment of a top government official in the state that the existing emolument of the teachers would be tampered with, if the N17,000 harmonised salary is paid to them.

The NUT, however, urged government to call the official to order, and said that his utterance was capable of igniting serious industrial dispute in the State.

Sogbeba Dokubo