The Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter, has rejected the ongoing indefinite teachers’ strike in Abuja, describing the industrial action as unnecessary and urging teachers to continue working while calling for dialogue to resolve the dispute with the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
Key Highlights
- ASUSS has rejected the indefinite strike called by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) FCT Council and supported by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT).
- The strike, which began around October 7, 2026, centres on teachers’ promotions and the application of the vacancy clause.
- ASUSS says issues surrounding the 2025 promotion exercise are already being addressed by the relevant authorities.
- The union has directed secondary school teachers and school administrators to continue normal duties.
- ASUSS warned that the strike could disrupt the scheduled 2026 Computer-Based Test (CBT) promotion examination.
- The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has also called for dialogue, warning against disruptions to students’ education.
ASUSS Rejects Indefinite FCT Teachers’ Strike
Speaking on ARISE News, Ibiang Johnson, Public Relations Officer of ASUSS in the FCT, said the union saw no justification for joining the industrial action.
“It is glaring that this strike was unnecessary. Two unions can make different choices; there is no monopoly on unionism. Strikes should not be weaponised against students. We saw no reason to join the strike,” Johnson said.
ASUSS FCT Chairman Julius Ogundiran also directed secondary school teachers, principals, vice-principals and education officers under the union’s influence to report for their normal duties and keep schools open.
The union described the strike as premature and poorly timed, arguing that the issues raised by the striking unions could be addressed through engagement with the relevant government agencies.
Why FCT Teachers Are on Strike
The industrial action was called by the NLC FCT Council, with support from the NUT FCT Wing, after a seven-day ultimatum issued to the FCTA expired.
NLC FCT Council Chairman Knabayi S. Adalo reportedly described the administration’s response to the unions’ demands as “ambiguous, dismissive, and totally unacceptable.”
At the centre of the dispute is the application of a vacancy clause to teachers’ promotions. The NLC and NUT argue that teachers recruited specifically to teach by the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) and the FCT Secondary Education Board (SEB) should not be treated like general-pool civil servants whose promotions depend on the availability of vacancies.
The unions maintain that the policy has contributed to career stagnation and limited teachers’ opportunities for advancement.
Their other demands include allowing eligible candidates from the 2025 promotion cycle to sit for promotion examinations alongside or ahead of the 2026 cohort, reversing certain redeployment or demotion letters linked to the Harmonised Retirement Age for Teachers Act 2022, and making changes to the management of the education boards.
ASUSS Says Promotion Issues Are Being Addressed
Johnson and Ogundiran have argued that several of the issues raised by the striking unions are administrative matters already receiving attention from the relevant authorities.
According to ASUSS, arrangements have been made for the 2025 promotion exercise to run concurrently with the 2026 cycle under the FCT Civil Service Commission, following circulars issued in September 2026.
The union also said the FCT Minister had approved provisions for the 2025 cohort to be accommodated after earlier disruptions.
On the redeployment of some directors back to classroom duties, ASUSS maintained that such decisions fall within the statutory powers of the relevant management authorities.
The union’s position is that continued engagement with the FCTA, the Civil Service Commission and the education boards would provide a route to resolving the disagreements without interrupting academic activities.
Union Warns Strike Could Disrupt Promotion Examinations
ASUSS has expressed concern that the industrial action could affect the scheduled 2026 Computer-Based Test (CBT) promotion examination.
Johnson said the union would not participate in the strike and urged the NUT leadership to pursue dialogue with the FCTA and relevant agencies rather than prolong the dispute.
The union has also called on teachers to remain calm, carry out their professional responsibilities and prepare for the promotion examination.
It appealed to parents to send their children to school, although reports indicate that attendance and compliance have varied across the territory.
The disagreement highlights divisions within the education sector’s labour movement, with ASUSS taking a different position from the NLC-affiliated NUT over how best to pursue the teachers’ demands.
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NANS Calls for Dialogue to Protect Students
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Joint Campus Council in the FCT has also called for dialogue between the government and organised labour.
The student body stressed that pupils and students should not bear the consequences of disagreements between teachers’ unions and the government.
Reports on the strike indicate that some primary schools have been more significantly affected, while secondary schools associated with ASUSS have seen efforts to sustain academic activities.
The uneven response has created uncertainty for parents and students trying to determine whether schools are operating normally.
FCT Government Faces Pressure to Resolve Dispute
The ongoing dispute places renewed pressure on the FCTA and the contending unions to reach an agreement on promotion procedures, career progression and other outstanding issues.
While organised labour has the right to pursue workplace grievances through lawful industrial action, ASUSS has argued that alternative approaches should be considered where negotiations and administrative processes are already underway.
The immediate challenge is to resolve the disagreement over the vacancy clause and related demands without further disrupting the academic calendar or the promotion pathways of affected teachers.
Whether dialogue can produce a settlement will depend on the willingness of the FCTA, the education boards and the unions to agree on practical steps to address the outstanding concerns.
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