The Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, Akwa Ibom State chapter, has joined its counterparts across the country in protesting against the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State.
They called on the government to address insecurity in schools, improve teachers’ welfare, and secure the release of kidnapped students and education workers.
The teachers were seen marching along Wellington Bassey Way and its environs, displaying placards with inscriptions such as, “An attack on teachers is an attack on education”, “Protect teachers and you protect the future”, “Education cannot thrive under terror”, and “Teachers are nation builders”, among others.
The state chairman of NUT, Comrade Edet Emenyi, while addressing the protesters, condemned the abduction and the increasing threats to teachers and learners across the country.
He regretted that schools, which ought to have been centres of learning and hope, have become targets of violence and criminality.
According to him, “Today, many teachers teach while constantly looking over their shoulders. Education cannot thrive under terror. Teachers need protection, not condolences.
“An attack on teachers is an attack on education. Protect teachers and you protect the future. Schools must be safe havens, not crime scenes.”
He noted that teachers are now afraid to perform their duties due to insecurity, saying that such a situation would erode the education system.
