The Campaign for Democratic and Workers’ Rights (CDWR) has opposed the Oyo State Government’s plan to reopen public schools, insisting that students and teachers must not return until adequate security measures are in place.
The position follows the state government’s appeal to the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) to suspend its ongoing strike and reopen public schools shut after the abduction of teachers and students in Oriire Local Government Area.
The rights group argued that resuming academic activities while the victims remain in captivity would expose education workers and learners to further danger, stressing that the government must first secure their release and establish credible security arrangements before directing schools to reopen.
In a statement issued on Friday and signed by its Oyo State Coordinator, Bamigboye Abiodun, the CDWR described the government’s appeal as insensitive, saying it failed to reflect the fear, trauma and insecurity confronting teachers, students and their families.
According to the group, although the closure of schools has disrupted academic activities and affected students, parents and teachers, such inconveniences cannot be compared with the consequences of reopening schools without guaranteeing their safety.
“The preservation of human lives must take precedence over academic schedules because no educational achievement can justify exposing children and teachers to avoidable danger,” the statement read.
The group maintained that the government must demonstrate that effective and verifiable security measures have been implemented across schools before classes resume.
It added that no amount of investment in education or infrastructure could compensate for the loss of lives or the physical and psychological trauma caused by abductions.
The CDWR also urged parents and guardians to support teachers rather than blame them for the prolonged closure of schools.
It called on them to use Parents-Teachers Associations and community platforms to pressure the government to secure the release of the victims and guarantee lasting security in schools.
It further urged the Oyo State chapter of the NUT to sustain the industrial action until those abducted are rescued and adequate security measures are in place.
The group also called on the union to convene an emergency State Congress to enable teachers assess the strike, review its progress and democratically determine the next line of action.
While insisting that the strike should continue, the CDWR suggested it could, if necessary, be modified into a weekly 24-hour warning strike accompanied by peaceful mass protests until the security concerns are addressed.
The group also called on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Oyo State to declare a 48-hour general strike and organise mass protests in solidarity with teachers and students.
According to the organisation, the wider labour movement must not leave teachers to confront the security challenge alone, arguing that the safety of public schools is a collective responsibility requiring immediate action by both the state and federal governments.