NUT Oyo vows legal action to curb school violence, enhance teacher training

The Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Oyo State Wing, has announced plans to intensify training programmes for educators and maintain legal efforts to combat violence and misconduct in schools across the state.

The union’s chairman, Mr. Raji Oladimeji, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Ibadan.

Oladimeji explained that the union has allocated funds in its budget for regular capacity-building initiatives aimed at updating teachers’ knowledge and enhancing classroom effectiveness. He outlined two categories of training: statutory and non-statutory.

The statutory training, referred to as the Study Circle, is a mandatory programme coordinated by the union’s national headquarters for state officers and local government branch executives, including chairmen, secretaries, and treasurers. Facilitators from relevant ministries and agencies are typically invited to lead these sessions.

In addition, the union organizes non-statutory in-service workshops within the state to provide localised professional development for teachers.

Oladimeji noted that the NUT collaborates with key education bodies such as the State Universal Basic Education Board and the Teaching Service Commission to deliver further training opportunities. Some of these programmes, supported by development partners, increasingly focus on information and communication technology (ICT) integration.

“The goal is to equip teachers to move from analogue methods to effectively teach today’s digital learners,” he said.

He also revealed that union members participate in international learning opportunities through conferences and workshops in other African countries and beyond. A group of teachers is scheduled to attend a capacity-building workshop in Accra, Ghana, before the end of March 2026.

On the issue of school safety, Oladimeji stressed that the union is actively addressing cases of cultism, bullying, attacks on teachers, and other threats within school environments. He said such incidents are promptly reported to security agencies, and legal action has been initiated in several instances.

The union is currently involved in about three court cases related to attacks on teachers and school-related violence.

Oladimeji recalled an incident in Afijio Local Government Area where hoodlums attacked and stabbed a teacher on school premises. The suspects were arrested, prosecuted, and sentenced to six months in prison.

“Whenever we see anything that is not good for the school environment or the development of education, we report to the police or take legal action for appropriate sanctions,” he said.

He added that the union’s firm response has helped deter individuals from using school premises for criminal activities.

Addressing bullying and student misconduct, Oladimeji emphasized that ensuring a safe school environment requires collective effort.

“It is the duty of parents, the duty of the community, the duty of students themselves, and the duty of teachers. All of us must be on deck to sanitise and sensitise people against these barbaric attitudes in our schools,” he said.