The Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter, has rejected the indefinite strike declared by the Nigeria Union of Teachers, FCT Wing, directing secondary school teachers and education officers to report to work and continue their normal duties.

The directive followed an emergency meeting of the ASUSS State Executive Council (SEC) to review the NUT’s decision to withdraw services in the territory.

In a statement on Wednesday, ASUSS described the strike as premature and warned that the action could disrupt academic activities and negatively affect students.

“The union urged its members to disregard the stay-at-home directive, insisting that the academic future of students should not be sacrificed because of an industrial dispute,” the statement read.

The NUT Abuja council had directed workers in the FCT Administration, including those in the private sector, to commence an indefinite strike from Wednesday.

The union said the directive followed the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum issued to the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, over unresolved labour disputes and policy grievances affecting teachers.

However, ASUSS, which addressed the issues raised by the NUT, including vacancies, promotion and the redeployment of education agency directors, said the requirement remains part of the Public Service Rules (PSR) governing establishment control and financial planning.

According to the union, any changes to career structures should be addressed through dialogue and administrative engagement rather than industrial action.

ASUSS also addressed the issue of promotion, saying the administrative arrangements had already been resolved, noting that the 2025 promotion exercise would run alongside the 2026 promotion cycle under the FCT Civil Service Commission, in line with circulars issued in September 2026.

The statement added, “The union also maintained that the redeployment of directors in education agencies to classrooms was within the statutory powers of management to ensure administrative efficiency.”

According to ASUSS, the strike can disrupt the scheduled 2025/2026 promotion examinations for FCT Education Officers.

Directing eligible education officers to participate in the examinations according to the published timetable, the union also appealed to parents and guardians to send their children to school, assuring them that academic activities would continue.

“ASUSS directed principals, vice-principals and education officers to keep secondary schools open, ensure teachers report to their classrooms and maintain normal academic and administrative activities,” the union noted.

The union urged school administrators to monitor attendance and maintain a safe and conducive learning environment, stressing that students should not bear the consequences of industrial disagreements.

It advocated dialogue among stakeholders, insisting that the interests of students must remain the priority in resolving disputes within the FCT education sector.