Relief swept across the Federal Capital Territory on Sunday as public schools were ordered to reopen Monday after the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), FCT Wing, suspended its strike following a dramatic last-minute deal with FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
The breakthrough came after days of tension that shut down classrooms across the six Area Councils, leaving thousands of pupils stranded.
At an emergency meeting in Gwagwalada, union leaders agreed to call off the industrial action after securing a massive ₦5 billion monthly intervention to clear long-standing salary arrears and allowances.
Under the deal, ₦2 billion will come from the FCT’s Internally Generated Revenue, while ₦3 billion will be drawn from Area Councils’ statutory funds — a move insiders describe as a “game changer” for struggling teachers.
The funds will kick-start payment of the long-awaited 40 per cent Peculiar Allowance and gradually wipe off years of unpaid entitlements.
In another major win, the union forced a rethink of the controversial “vacancy” rule that had blocked promotions for many teachers. Wike has now pledged to step in and ensure qualified educators are no longer denied career progression.
In a communiqué signed by union leaders, teachers were directed to return to classrooms on Monday, April 27.
But the NUT issued a stern warning — any failure to honour the agreement could trigger another shutdown.
“If the government fails to keep its side of the deal, we will not hesitate to act,” the union declared.
The agreement also protects teachers from victimisation over their participation in the strike.
With the crisis temporarily resolved, attention now shifts to classrooms as teachers race to recover lost time and get academic activities back on track.
