But the government said it had begun discussions with the aggrieved teachers to end the strike, which has shut public schools and some private ones.
Angered by government's refusal to implement the Teachers' Salary Scale (TSS), the umbrella Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Thursday threatened to call out its affiliates to join the strike by next week, while urging the teachers not to give up.
''You must continue with the struggle. Other unions are ready to join you, so don't give up the struggle,'' NLC's Deputy President, Mr. Promise Adewusi, said in Lagos.
Analysts said if other unions, especially the powerful oil workers' union, join the strike, it could have a debilitating effect on the economy and force the federal government to meet the teachers' demand.
However, Secretary to the federal government, Mr. Babagana Kingibe, said representatives of the government and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) had started discussions aimed at resolving the knotty issues.
''I believe that we have arrived at a form of engagement and understanding of the issues involved and we have charted a way forward, a road map which I believe will result in the resolution of the on-going impasse,'' he said in a statement in the capital city of Abuja Thursday.
Teachers in Nigeria's public schools are among the least-paid professionals in the country, forcing many to either seek better jobs in other sectors or move to the better paying private schools.
Nigeria's President Umaru Yar'Adua and his deputy Goodluck Jonathan were teachers before they ventured into politics, but there are no signs, at least thus far, that their affinity with the profession has helped the cause of the country's teachers.
Lagos - 11/07/2008
Pana
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