The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), has warned that if the worsening insecurity in schools is not urgently addressed, teachers in the country may withdraw their services.
The National President of NUT, Comrade Titus Amba, stated this while responding to questions from journalists shortly after the 8th quadrennial delegates’ conference of the Jigawa State Chapter of the union, which held on Thursday, at the Manpower Development Institute, Dutse, the Jigawa state capital.
The NUT National President lamented the growing attacks on schools, described the trend as a direct assault on education and the lives of teachers and pupils.
He noted the rising cases of banditry and kidnappings targeting schools, especially in parts of northern Nigeria.
“The abduction of schoolgirls in Kebbi State, the kidnapping of hundreds of students in Niger, and attacks on pupils in Kwara have further deepened concerns over the safety of teachers and learners in the country.
“The closure of several boarding schools in vulnerable areas, as authorities struggle to guarantee safety, has resulted from persistent attacks by bandits.
“We have seen cases where students are abducted in large numbers and teachers are targeted, yet the system continues as if nothing serious has happened.”
He lamented that education workers have increasingly become victims of violent attacks while discharging their duties, noting that in Kebbi State, a vice principal was killed in the line of duty; while in Niger and Kwara States, hundreds of students were kidnapped.
In many parts of the country, teachers have been abducted, while trying to teach children.Amba cautioned that teachers cannot continue to work under constant threat, urging governments at all levels to treat school security as a national emergency.
The NUT President clarified that the union was not issuing threats lightly but insisted on the fundamental right of teachers to work in a safe environment, describing teaching as a noble profession, and not a death sentence.
According to the NUT President, members are ready to do their jobs, but they must first be alive to teach.Amba stressed the need for the fortification of security around schools, especially in rural and high-risk communities, through the deployment of security personnel and the use of technology to monitor threats.
He emphasized that the union expects concrete action, not just promises, to secure schools and protect teachers and learners so that teachers can continue their work in the classrooms without fear.
