Teachers’ strike could force suspension of WASSCE

The ongoing West African Secondary School Certificate Examination need to be halted, according to the Nigeria Union of Teachers, which has declared that it is actively taking part in the Nigeria Labour Congress strike.

But in order to allow the Council to continue conducting the West WASSCE without interruption, Dr. Amos Dangut, Head of the Nigeria National Office West African Examinations Council, filed a request for an exemption from the strike.

However, NUT Secretary-General Dr. Mike Ike-Ene claimed that NUT was the most severely affected by the absurd salaries paid in Nigeria.

On Monday, June 3, 2024, the Organised Labour initiated a statewide strike in protest of the Federal Government's unwillingness to increase the planned minimum wage from N60,000.

The WASSCE started on April 30.
Concerning how WASSCE would hold if NUT decided to participate fully in the strike, Ike-Ene insisted,
"Let WASSCE find its level; they don't pay us; they only give teachers stipends." You cannot promise loyalty to someone who is only paying you. We are not serious at all in this country, he said, if WASSCE does not hold.

When the strike started on Monday, June 3rd, applicants had to complete Physics 1 and 2 (essay and objective), Economics 1 and 2 (essay and objective), and French 1 and 2 (essay and objective) on Tuesday.

"I issued a letter over the weekend instructing all our members to participate in the strike," stated Ike-Ene during his speech on the walkout. We have been deeply affected, which is why we are totally involved. Do you know that certain Local Government Areas have not paid the N30,000 minimum wage?
Furthermore, residents in Sokoto and other northern regions are still returning home with N12,000, despite Borno State's failure to satisfy the minimum wage requirement of N18,000. We shall adhere to the regulation without exception until a new minimum wage is set. We have made this order quite apparent to our members," he declared.