Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) said on Thursday that pupils are paying the price of the disputes between FCT Administration and labour.

The group raised the concern in Abuja during a joint news conference over the ongoing strike declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) on Wednesday.

The strike was declared over unresolved labour disputes and policy grievances affecting teachers in the territory.

They urged the labour unions to prioritise constructive dialogue over industrial action, for the interest of innocent students across the FCT, who were bearing the brunt of the strike.

The ASUSS Chairman in the FCT, Julius Ogundiran, distanced secondary school teachers from the indefinite strike.

Mr Ogundiran expressed deep concern that shutting down schools could stall teachers’ career advancement and derail students’ academic progress.

He insisted that while ASUSS fully supports legitimate demands for teachers’ welfare, it fundamentally disagrees with the decision to shut down schools.

Rather than escalating industrial tensions, Mr Ogundiran advocated immediate, peaceful engagements among the NLC, NUT, the FCT Administration, the FCT Civil Service Commission and relevant government agencies to resolve lingering grievances.

“We encourage the authorities and labour organisations to resolve all legitimate grievances through constructive dialogue, without sacrificing the career progression of teachers or the academic interests of students,” he said.

The chairman said ASUSS is an independent trade union affiliated with the Trade Union Congress and, as such, not partaking in the ongoing strike.

He reassured parents, students, and the public that secondary school teachers across the territory would remain in their classrooms and actively engaged in their instructional duties.

“ASUSS is not on strike. We have dissociated ourselves from the NUT strike action, and all secondary school teachers in the FCT are in their classrooms teaching,” he said.

He expressed concern that a major driver behind the union’s stance was the potential disruption of the ongoing 2026 Computer-Based Test (CBT) Promotion Examination.

Mr Ogundiran advised FCT secondary school teachers to remain calm, continue their legitimate professional duties, and prepare for the scheduled promotion examination.

Also, Secretary General of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Joint Campus Council, FCT chapter, Abdulkarim Muhammad, insisted that students should not pay the price for disputes between the government and labour.

“Every day away from the classroom costs learners valuable teaching time and places added pressure on families. We support the teachers’ welfare and fair career progression.

“We urge the FCTA and the labour leaders to suspend the strike, protect eligible teachers’ access to promotion exams, and resolve outstanding issues through urgent, transparent dialogue.

“Workers’ grievances and students’ education must not be used for partisan purposes,” he said.

Mr Muhammad called on all parties to put students first, protect the classrooms, protect the teachers’ rights and safeguard the future of FCT students.

He stated, “The FCT minister Nyesom Wike needs support, not political blackmail.”

(NAN)