Non-teaching staff in Public Basic and Secondary Schools in Enugu State on Monday protested their exclusion from the Federal Government’s special salary scale, enhanced condition of service and allowances.
The protesters under the auspices of Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, Enugu State Chapter marched round major streets of Enugu.
The peaceful protest terminated at the headquarters of the Post Primary School Management Board (PPSMB), Independence Layout, Enugu where they were received by the Permanent Secretary of the board, Mrs Favour Ugwuanyi.
The State Chairman of the group, Mr. Chika Anuka told the permanent secretary that the protest was as a result of an alleged discrimination being meted to their members.
Anuka said that the Federal Government had during the 2020 World Teachers’ Day celebration announced improved condition of service and other incentives for teachers in public basic and secondary schools.
He mentioned the incentives to include extension of their retirement age to 65 years, increase of years of service to 40 years from the current 35 years as well as special salary scale and enhanced allowances.
The chairman said that it was sad that the non-teaching staff were excluded from the packages.
Anuka said that they were at the PPSMB to register their displeasure over such discriminatory policy.
He appealed to the permanent secretary to take their grievances to the state governor, adding that members of the association needed to be treated in equal measures as the teachers.
Responding, Ugwuanyi commended them for the peaceful nature of the protest and promised to take their message to the governor.
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The permanent secretary appealed to them to be patient with the government as their grievances would receive a positive response.
She, however, said that the protesters needed to be grateful that they were not owed salaries, adding that they would be frustrating the government if they failed to appreciate the good gesture shown to them.
Ugwuanyi said that the promises by the Federal Government could as well be political as non of them had been implemented.
The protesters numbering over 100 carried placards with the inscription ‘Discriminatory Tendencies will Destroy the School System’, ‘We are as Qualified as the Teacher’ among others. (NAN)
