Primary school teachers in Kwara State have embarked on strike to press home their demand for the payment of three months salary arrears.
The teachers, on Monday, insisted not to end the strike until their salary arrears are paid.
The Kwara State Government, however, pleaded with them to be patient till next week promising to settle and blamed their predicament on cash crunch in the country.
The Deputy State Chairman of Nigerian Union of Teachers, Toyin Salihu, wondered how they could be owed three months salary despite working till the end of the year.
Mr Salihu said that he had been made to let the government see reasons for the payment, but the teachers are being tossed around between the local governments and state government for settlement.
The State Chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), who is also the Chairman of Ilorin East Local Government Area, Abdul-Lateef Okandeji, agreed that the local governments are in charge of the payments of the primary school teachers, but blamed the situation on dwindling revenue from federal allocation.
He further noted that efforts are on by ALGON to secure a bank loan to offset the salaries before the week runs out and pleaded with the teachers to sheath their swords for the benefit of the pupils.
The pupils, on the other hand, summed up the whole issue by appealing to relevant authorities to pay their teachers as the strike would affect their education if not settled on time.
