By Frontline Reporters

Teachers of the International School, University of Lagos (ISL), on Wednesday began a work-to-rule action over delays in implementing a National Industrial Court judgment, paying outstanding salary arrears and restoring affected staff to the university’s payroll.

The teachers, under the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), are demanding the implementation of the court judgment, payment of outstanding Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Teaching Allowance (CONTTA) arrears and settlement of 2024 salary arrears arising from the 25 per cent and 35 per cent salary adjustments.

Speaking during a protest on campus, the Chairman of SSANU, University of Lagos branch, Comrade Razak Yusuf, said the action followed prolonged delays in resolving issues surrounding the teachers’ employment status and financial entitlements. He cited a similar dispute involving teachers at the University of Abuja, which was reportedly resolved by the Federal Government following a court judgment.

The teachers stressed that the work-to-rule action did not amount to abandoning their teaching responsibilities but was a response to unresolved employment and welfare concerns. They maintained that their appointment letters, years of service and the National Industrial Court judgment established their status as bona fide university employees, arguing that their posting to the International School did not absolve the university of its obligations to them.

They also expressed concern over their exclusion from the university’s payroll, saying the situation had placed them at a disadvantage compared with other university employees. They urged the management to restore the affected staff to the payroll in compliance with the court order and resolve any administrative or funding concerns through the appropriate channels.

The teachers further demanded the payment of outstanding CONTTA and 2024 salary adjustment arrears, calling on the university management to provide a clear payment plan detailing the amounts due and the timeline for settlement. They rejected suggestions that the interim arrangement under the university’s Council protocol was an act of charity, insisting that they were seeking the enforcement of their employment rights rather than special treatment.

They called for full implementation of the court judgment, restoration of affected staff to the payroll and a definitive timetable for resolving outstanding employment and welfare issues. While expressing readiness to engage in dialogue with the university management, the teachers said they wanted concrete action rather than further assurances. As of the time of filing this report, the university management had yet to respond to their demands.

Disputes over the employment status and entitlements of teachers and other workers in international schools operated by federal universities have persisted in parts of the country, with disagreements over their conditions of service leading to litigation