Teachers in some public primary and secondary schools in Rivers State have decried the unavailability of chalks.
They lamented that they have to buy chalk with their own money since the administration of Governor Nyesom Wike.
In an interview with our correspondent, the teachers while narrating the difficulties they face in carrying out their functions, also urged the Rivers State governor to increase their salaries considering the hike in commodities occasioned by inflations.
Recall that the teachers had vented their spleen over lack of promotions, delay in payment of their salaries as well as non-payment of pensions and gratuities of retired teachers in the state.
ALSO READ Oct 20:20: Stakeholders in Rivers Reacts Towards Killing, Assaults, Harassment by SARS
They lamented that the government of Wike has not encourage teachers at all but concentrated in building bridges in different parts of Port Harcourt.
One of the teachers said: “Come to some of our schools, we do not have chalks to write on the blackboards. As basic as chalks, we don’t have. It is either we, the teachers, or we compel innocent students to buy them so that we can proceed with teaching.”
Another who said he teaches in a government primary school said they had become tired of complaining over chalks in the last five years.
When our correspondent interview to student of a Government Secondary School in Rivers State, Bright Nyenke, he said they are tired of staying at home because some times they come to school with their own chalks and the day they didn’t buy, they wont learn.
“Our school principal would say if we want to learn we should support with contributions of money for chalks for our class teachers”, she said.
Some of the teachers and other workers also lamented that they have not been paid their monthly salaries and gratuities by the state government.
Attempt by our correspondent to get to the Rivers State Commissioner of Education, Professor Kaniye Ebeku was not successful at the time of this report.
