COMRADE Kenneth Okoh, Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), Delta State Branch is no doubt a veteran trade union leader in Nigeria, with vast experience. Beyond that, he is also, the Secretary General, ASUSS at the national level. In this encounter with Editor, Daily shortly after the celebration of World Teachers Day, Comrade x-rayed a wide range of issues and came to a conclusion that teachers are pivotal the nation’s development
Comrade Kenneth Okoh, What is the current state of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) in Delta State?
The state of ASUSS in Delta State is two -fold, one positive and one negative.
The positive side is that ASUSS, the Delta State Branch, has come to stay. Secondary school teachers have embraced it, and all the court cases filed against us by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) were all decided in our favour, in favour of ASUSS. That’s the positive aspect: the state government has recognised ASUSS, and we are riding on that.
However, the other aspect is that some agents of the state government, particularly from the Ministry of Justice and the Office of the Head of Service under the immediate past Head of Service, may have misinterpreted the court judgment we won in such a way that it was turned against ASUSS.
As a result, the monthly deduction approved for us by the immediate past government was reversed to a quarterly deduction. The effect is that we are short of funds; we are cash-strapped.
This is one of the major issues we want to address and escalate. When I say “quarterly”, I mean that the ₦500 deduction approved for us by the immediate past governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, which was supposed to be monthly, has now been changed to quarterly. Originally, in 2018, the same governor approved a quarterly deduction, but he later reviewed it to a monthly deduction in July 2022. Now, after he left office in October 2024, it has been reversed again to quarterly.
That means, in a year, we only get deductions four times. That’s the implication. It has not been easy for us; there are many things we are supposed to do that we cannot. We have things to maintain, like Local government executives, and obligations to meet as a union.
You mentioned teachers’ recruitment. What’s the situation like?
There are not enough teachers. Yes, Delta State is trying. We have about 12,000 teachers in the state, but that’s still not enough, especially in the areas of Science and English Language.
Teacher recruitment is an ongoing thing, but there’s also the issue of retraining teachers to meet present needs. There are new subjects introduced into the curriculum for which there are no teachers.
The major area of concern now is teaching technology, science. We need more science teachers to meet demand.
You’ll find that a whole school may have only one Mathematics teacher, or none in Chemistry. The state government is making efforts, but in this area, unless the government adequately addresses educational needs to a tolerable level, whatever else that is done may not be meaningful.
A few years ago, the government recruited mostly science-based teachers, but the recruitment was not enough; there are still lapses, and many more teachers are needed.
The Federal Government recently abolished Mathematics as a compulsory subject for art-related courses in JAMB and other exams for admission into tertiary institutions. What is your reaction to that?
My reaction is both yes and no.
In our time, if you were going to study Law, Journalism, or any Humanities course, a pass in Mathematics was sufficient. But for reasons best known to policymakers, who, by the way, rarely involve teachers, they later made credit in Mathematics and English compulsory.
We all know that mathematical reasoning is involved in every field of human endeavour. However, we also know that students inclined towards the Humanities do not need Mathematics as much as science-oriented students.
That said, even in Law, there is logic and deductive reasoning, concepts also found in Mathematics. There are sets, logic, approximations, and permutations, all of which every discipline applies in one form or another.
If we consider that Humanities students don’t need Mathematics as much, then a pass should suffice. But if we aim for quality and broader intellectual development at the university level, then it’s reasonable to retain the requirement for a credit in Mathematics.
What is the state of infrastructure in Delta schools?
I will also commend the state government. They’ve done a lot in terms of infrastructure, but there’s still so much more to be done.
Some schools lack enough classrooms; some don’t even have chairs. Recently, I received reports that in some schools, like Okpanam High School, students sit on the floor to receive lessons. I saw it myself. Principals have reported these conditions to the government.
Now, about security, the government has supplied chairs to schools, but many of them are sub-standard, but I must admit that they are grossly substandard, though not the fault of government. Some are already eaten by weevils even at the point of delivery. One wonders who certifies them.
The major thing the government must address now is the protection of school infrastructure. Most schools have no security personnel at all. As a result, schools are vandalised; furniture and property are stolen or destroyed. It’s as good as the government is not providing at all, because if infrastructure is not secured, it’s a wasted effort.
Teachers cannot double as security guards; we close by 2 p.m. and go home. We cannot take chairs home. So the government must ensure proper security in schools and ensure that supplies are both adequate and durable.
Based on that, I am proposing that the government establish a Special School Security System, employing able-bodied, educated young people, making it attractive enough to secure our schools properly.
Don’t you think schools should build relationships with their host communities for better protection?
I’ll tell you something, I’m in the field, and I know these communities.
Most communities today are reckless. Communities are not what they used to be. People see wrongdoing and keep quiet because these days, today everyone is afraid because of the country’s security situation.
The other day, one of our principals got a tip-off that a young man from the community had been stealing wooden chairs from the school and selling them to a food vendor as firewood. The principal took the bull by the horns, involved the police, and the report turned out to be true. That’s how serious it is.
Was any action taken against him?
Yes, the police handled it.
School-Based Management Committees are essential, allowing communities to “own” their schools works in theory. But the elders we have today are not the same as those we had before. Many of them are now partisan, even corrupt, and political leaders have taken over community leadership. So, it’s no longer the same.
How united is ASUSS in Delta State? There were reports of division at some point.
There is no division in ASUSS. Whoever says that is trying to stir up what does not exist.
The reports calling for investigations and elections in ASUSS came from outside the union. I investigated it myself and confirmed that it was an external attempt to cause disunity. Even the journalist used for the publication was tracked.
ASUSS has been growing steadily, especially since my school joined. We are one of the few unions that bought our own Sienna union van without government assistance; that Sienna you see us using belongs entirely to the union.
We are growing, and growth often attracts jealousy.
How would you rate your union?
In terms of our relationship with the government and other unions, we’ve been outstanding. The ASUSS Chairman you’re speaking with is also the current Secretary of the Trade Union Congress (TUC). If ASUSS were insignificant, that wouldn’t be possible.
Since 2019, I have been part of every minimum wage negotiation with the government. ASUSS has always been represented on the labour side. Today, by God’s grace, we are a recognised and respected force in organised labour in Delta State.
Are you contesting in the forthcoming Trade Union Congress (TUC) chairmanship election?
No. In my life, I don’t contest for positions; I allow them to come naturally.
If it comes, fine. If it doesn’t, no problem. I am currently the Secretary-General of my union at the national level, which is why I’m often away. I just returned from Abuja last night. I didn’t contest for that position either; it came naturally.
Reflecting on the recent World Teachers’ Day, what lesson have you drawn from the celebration?
The main lesson is that our comrades remain steadfast. They came out, expressed their complaints, and offered words of encouragement. It strengthened me personally.
