Nigeria: We are suffering, Kaduna teachers cry out

Kaduna — Teachers in Kaduna State have decried non-payment of their salaries for months, saying it is inflicting suffering on them and their families.

Some teachers working in different primary schools across the state have since last year been complaining over non-payment of their salaries ranging from four to six months. Last month some of the teachers received three months’ salary arrears. Teachers who got three months’ arrears in February have also got payment for the remaining months owed them.

On the contrary, a teacher who pleaded anonymity said that she had not been paid for about six months now, even after she had successfully scaled the verification exercise.

«I am a widow, my children have been sent off school because I cannot pay their fees. To provide food has become very difficult for me,» she said.

Another teacher said she is yet to get her salary since October last year. «I have borrowed money from people to the extent that they have stopped borrowing me money due to my inability to pay back,» she said.

A teacher in Igabi LGA said he had also not received his salary for over four months; saying this is making him fail in his responsibility as a man and as a father.

When contacted, the Commissioner of Education in the state, Dr. Shehu Usman Adamu said that there are over 32,000 teachers in the primary schools out of which only 2,717 have not been paid because they have same PSN number or related issues. «Apart from the 2,717 teachers, all others have been paid to date,» he said.