Kaduna Teachers threaten Government over Competency Test

The National Union of Teachers (NUT), Kaduna chapter, has threatened the state government with strike if the 22,000 teachers who failed the state’s competency test are sacked.

The Kaduna State Government had earlier in the month announced it will be employing 25,000 teachers after 22,ooo failed a primary 4 level competency test.

However, the state chairman, Audu Amba, speaking at a press conference after an emergency meeting called by the executive of the union, threatened a strike action if “even a single teacher” is sacked, Punch reports.

“Government will be setting us back 20 years,” he said, “if 22,000 teachers are relieved of their jobs.”

He complained that the competency test did not focus on what the teachers studied. He said the only competent body empowered to test teachers by law is the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria. He said:

We have resolved that, by this examination that was given to our teachers, if any teacher is relieved of his appointment, the NUT may not guarantee further industrial harmony with the government of Kaduna State.

It is with pain that we are taking this decision, while appreciating the concerns of the state government to uplift the status of teachers.

We have discussed with the government to let it understand that teaching is not like other professions or industrial machines that you open and close at will.

It will do us no good if 21,780 teachers are relieved of their jobs. They were not tested based on professionalism or on what they studied. The proficiency test can only be recognised if it is conducted by TRCN. But the state insisted otherwise. What we are receiving today is not what we agreed with government.