The three-week strike that crippled academic activities at the Kaduna State College of Education, Gidan Waya, has been suspended following intervention by the state government, bringing major relief to students and staff who had endured weeks of stalled lectures and uncertainty over the prolonged industrial dispute.
The industrial action, which began on September 30, was part of a broader protest by the Joint Union of Tertiary Institutions in Kaduna State (JUTI), which also affected other institutions, including Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic in Zaria.
JUTI had accused the state government of reneging on agreements reached in August 2025, particularly those concerning salary harmonisation and improved retirement conditions.
The College of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU) said the decision to call off the strike followed a firm commitment from the government to address key welfare and policy concerns that triggered the action.
Union leaders described the agreement as a positive step toward restoring stability within the state’s tertiary education sector.
The announcement came on Tuesday in Kafanchan, where the institution’s COEASU chairman, Christopher Yerima, confirmed that the union had reached a deal with the Kaduna State Government.
Yerima explained that the suspension followed Governor Uba Sani’s pledge to implement a significant portion of the salary structures long demanded by staff.
“Our members only resorted to the strike after years of unfulfilled promises. But after meaningful dialogue with the government, we have secured a commitment to implement 70 percent of the CONPCASS and CONTEDISS structures beginning this October,” the chairman said.
He added that the government also agreed to extend the 65-year retirement age policy to non-academic staff, a longstanding demand of the union.
Yerima praised union members for what he described as their “unwavering patience and solidarity” throughout the industrial action.
According to him, the union will now closely monitor the government’s adherence to the agreement while maintaining open lines of communication to ensure full implementation.
“We are suspending this strike in good faith. But we will not hesitate to resume if the government fails to honour its promises,” he added.
With this new understanding in place, academic activities are expected to fully resume at the Kaduna State College of Education, Gidan Waya, bringing an end to weeks of disruption.
