By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja
The Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), Kogi State Chapter, has expressed deep concern over the recurring attacks on schools and educational communities across the state, warning that the growing insecurity poses a serious threat to the safety of teachers and students and undermines effective teaching and learning.
The union called on the Kogi State Government to strengthen security around schools through enhanced surveillance, intelligence gathering, community collaboration and rapid emergency response mechanisms to safeguard lives and educational infrastructure.
The call was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the State Executive Council (SEC) meeting of the union held on Thursday in Lokoja. The communiqué was jointly signed by the State Chairman, Comrade Emejeh Ogwu Sunday, and the State Secretary, Comrade Muhammed Ada Sule.
ASUSS also urged the government to restore the 27.5 per cent Teachers’ Special Allowance (TSA), describing it as a product of a duly negotiated collective bargaining agreement intended to recognise the unique responsibilities and sacrifices of teachers.
The union further appealed for the immediate recruitment of qualified teachers to address the acute shortage of personnel in public secondary schools across the state.
While acknowledging Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s efforts in improving the state’s security architecture and sustaining industrial harmony through workers-friendly policies, the union maintained that more decisive action was needed to secure schools against persistent attacks.
According to ASUSS, the shortage of teachers has overstretched the available workforce, reduced instructional effectiveness and negatively impacted learning outcomes in many public secondary schools.
The union also applauded the introduction of the Kogi State Health Insurance Scheme, describing it as a landmark initiative that would improve access to quality healthcare for workers and their families.
It encouraged teachers who are yet to enrol in the scheme to do so without delay while urging the state government to expedite the payment of gratuities to retired workers.
ASUSS specifically appealed for gratuities to be paid in larger batches to enable retirees, particularly teachers, to enjoy the benefits of their years of dedicated service without prolonged hardship.
The union further called for the establishment of a motorcycle loan scheme for teachers serving in rural and hard-to-reach communities, noting that rising transportation costs have made daily commuting increasingly difficult and adversely affected productivity.
Reaffirming its commitment to industrial peace and constructive engagement, ASUSS pledged to continue working with the state government and other stakeholders to improve the quality of secondary education in Kogi State.
The union expressed optimism that the concerns and recommendations contained in its communiqué would receive prompt attention from the government in the interest of teachers, students and the overall development of education in the state.