Nigeria Capital Schools Reopen After Teacher Strike Ends

Public school classrooms across Nigeria's Federal Capital Territory are full again this week after teachers ended their strike and returned to work.

The Nigeria Union of Teachers suspended their weeklong walkout on Sunday after FCT Minister Nyesom Wike pledged to address unpaid allowances and promotion arrears. Teachers resumed duties Monday morning, welcoming students back for the third academic term.

The strike began just as students were scheduled to return on April 20, forcing temporary school closures across the capital territory. Parents and students scrambled to adjust, with some families uncertain whether to send their children to school or keep them home.

Praise Ubem, a student at Government Secondary School in Zone 3, said the confusion was real. "The strike was not announced in our school group. Some students still went to school on the first day and wasted their transport money, especially those coming from places like Lugbe and Apo Road."

The latest action stemmed from the same issues teachers have raised repeatedly over three years. Deputy director Rukayat Ahmed said this was roughly the fifth strike over identical demands during that period, including a 40 percent allowance and delayed promotions.

"My last promotion was in 2019 as a deputy director. I'm supposed to be a director, all things being equal," Ahmed explained. "They should give us what is due so we can manage our lives."

The FCT Administration has promised to use 10 percent of area council revenues to pay outstanding salaries and entitlements after verification processes. Area councils, which handle primary teacher payments, have cited financial constraints as the main obstacle.

The Ripple Effect

The repeated disruptions are reshaping the territory's education landscape in unexpected ways. Ahmed watched enrollment at her Zone 2 school drop from 420 students to fewer than 250 as families fled to private schools despite higher costs.

When stability returns, parents often come back asking to re-enroll their children, she noted. Public school affordability keeps them as a fallback option when private fees become unsustainable.

The union kept its suspension conditional, warning that teachers could strike again if the government fails to honor its commitments. But for now, students like Ubem are preparing for their Junior WAEC examinations with their teachers beside them, not on picket lines.

Minister Wike's intervention marks the second time in recent years he has stepped in to resolve teacher strikes. The underlying challenge remains balancing limited area council budgets with teacher welfare while keeping students in consistent classroom instruction.