ABUJA — The Federal Ministry of Education headquarters in Abuja was thrown into turmoil on Tuesday as protesting workers shut down the ministry, booed senior officials and prevented the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, and the Acting Permanent Secretary from gaining entry.
The disruption began early in the morning when groups of workers, organized under the Nigeria Union of Teachers and other education sector unions, converged on the ministry complex. According to eyewitness accounts, the protesters chanted slogans and carried placards bearing inscriptions such as "#EndPoorConditions" and "Education Deserves Better."
The protesters blocked the main entrance, preventing Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad and the Acting Permanent Secretary from entering their offices. Sources present at the scene said the minister and her deputy were booed when they attempted to address the crowd from the ministry steps. The officials were eventually escorted out by security personnel.
In a statement read to reporters by a senior union leader, the protesting workers listed a series of demands, including improved salary structures, better working conditions, and the resolution of outstanding promotions and entitlements that have lingered for months. The unions said the action was a last resort after failed negotiations with the government.
"We have exhausted dialogue. The government has not responded to our pleas. This shutdown is to draw attention to the plight of education workers who have been left behind while the sector deteriorates," the union leader said.
The shutdown brought official activities to a standstill. Internal memos, processing of documents, and scheduled meetings were all suspended for the day. Students and parents who had arrived for scheduled engagements were turned away, with many expressing frustration over the disruption.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, and several other education sector unions participated in the action. The protest also highlighted broader concerns about the condition of public education in Nigeria, including dilapidated infrastructure, insufficient teaching materials, and large class sizes.
By late afternoon, the ministry had not been fully reopened. Security personnel were deployed around the complex to prevent a repeat of the disruption, but the atmosphere remained tense. The unions indicated they would continue the action until their demands were met, though they said they remained open to further dialogue.
The incident marks one of the most significant disruptions to hit the ministry in recent months and underscores the growing friction between the government and workers in Nigeria's education sector.