Nation Union of Teachers (NUT), Taraba State Chapter, has issued a stern warning to Governor Agbu Kefas, demanding the immediate payment of four months’ salary arrears or risk forfeiting the votes of thousands of teachers in the upcoming 2027 governimatum was delivered on Wednesday by the State Chairman of the NUT, Nathan Solomon Tsa’asen, during a remembrance event honouring the late former union chairman, Jonah Katabs. Tsa’asen emphasized that teachers across the state are no longer willing to accept empty promises amid declining welfare conditions.
“You are politicians; we are not. But you will come looking for us,” Tsa’asen stated. “With over 20,000 teachers in Taraba State, our votes can no longer be taken for granted. The government must put its house in order. Let teachers enjoy their due so we can be happy to re-elect you.”
While acknowledging that part of the salary backlog was inherited from previous administrations, Tsa’asen insisted that resolving the arrears remains the responsibility of the current government.
The teachers’ demand comes against a backdrop of widespread frustration over the deteriorating state of basic education in Taraba. Despite Governor Kefas’s highly publicized declaration of “free and compulsory education” in his 2023 inaugural address, the policy has been marred by implementation challenges.
Reports indicate overcrowded and dilapidated classrooms across several local government areas, with pupils often sitting on bare floors due to a lack of desks and learning materials. In many schools, cracked walls, leaking roofs, and overwhelmed teaching staff have further compounded the crisis.
Education stakeholders have repeatedly raised concerns that the free education initiative, launched without sufficient funding, planning, or teacher welfare safeguards, has strained an already fragile system. While enrolment numbers may appear encouraging on paper, actual learning conditions have significantly deteriorated.
The NUT’s statement signals a growing resolve among educators to leverage their electoral influence to demand tangible improvements in their working conditions and the broader educational landscape.
