The indefinite strike declared by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in Oyo State has entered a worrying phase, with parents and education stakeholders raising fresh alarms over the impact on children left at home.
NUT directed all public primary and secondary school teachers in Oyo State to begin an indefinite strike from June 1, following the abduction of teachers and pupils in Oriire Local Government Area on May 15.
Weeks into the strike, many children across Ibadan are now idle, roaming streets, hawking goods for parents or simply spending their days playing.
A teacher, Mrs Yemisi Alao, expressed concern over what she described as the nonchalant attitude of some parents toward their children’s welfare during the closure.
“The children are not well monitored, and some of those placed under apprenticeship are also not serious about learning the trade,” she said.
Alao warned that the strike came at a critical time when pupils were due to begin continuous assessment exercises, adding that whenever schools eventually reopen, teachers may be forced to rush through the curriculum.
“This is a collective call to action. People should be interested in mentoring children around them and engaging them meaningfully with books, sports and other productive activities so that their minds will be occupied with positive ideas rather than fraudulent ones,” she said.
A parent in the Mokola area of Ibadan, Mr Godwin Obinna, said his children were already anxious about the prolonged closure.
“My children are already worried and keep asking whether there will be no schooling again. This whole situation is unfair,” he said.
Obinna called on the Oyo State government to resolve the issues driving the strike and put stronger security measures in place to protect schools from further attacks.
In the Yemetu area, Mrs Bolajoko Yusuf said parents in her neighbourhood had formed an informal community watch to look after children while adults go to work.
“What we do in my neighbourhood is to watch over the children and ensure they are safe because not all parents can stay at home,” she said.
Another parent, Mrs Adeola Aina from Nalende, said she enrolled her older children in a tailoring apprenticeship to keep them occupied, but noted that younger children between ages three and seven had no such options and were the most vulnerable.
Mrs Tunrayo Adeyemo of Total Garden area summed up the frustration felt by many families.
“We are not happy that our children are at home when they ought to be in school, but there is nothing we can do about it. We can only pray that the abducted children are released soon,” she said.
Digital Operations Manager at The Students Forum Nigeria.
