Education
SOME parents, on Wednesday, staged a protest at the Government College, Ibadan, calling on Oyo State government to stop the school’s Old Students’ Association from its alleged move to reduce the number of students in JSS I.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the angry parents, numbering about 100, staged the protest at the school’s premises, condemning what they called an attempt by the association to truncate the education of their children in the school.
One of the affected parents, Mr Lekan Ogunrinde, who spoke with NAN, alleged that the association was bent on reducing the number of students who are already in the second term in in JSS I class.
He stated that most of the affected students, who had done first term examination, were now depressed, having learnt that they might be forced to leave the school.
Ogunrinde noted that the students went through due process before being admitted into the school, adding that they should, therefore, not be laid off or relocated to other schools for whatever reason.
“The old students’ association said they wanted to reduce the number of students in JSS I because of inadequate infrastructure.
“They also argued that since they are the ones providing the facilities in the school, they are the authority in that school.
“They said they will regulate the school activities, and on conducting inspection round the school, they said that the number of students was too high and that such cannot be condoned.
“We don’t think the school authorities have any say in this matter because the association is full of the high and the mighty in the society.
“But, we want the government to wade into this matter, as it can destabilise the affected students and negate government policy on education for all,” Ogunrinde said.
Another parent, Mr Ibrahim Arowopoko, said before the students were admitted from the onset, the school management ought to have taken into consideration the available facilities and its capacity.
He said sending students away from the school or relocating them when they are already in their second term would not be fair to them and that it would not yield any result.
“The parents are ready to contribute money to engage PTA teachers if need be.
“We know that it is a must to spend money on the education of our wards but we don’t want them to be psychologically damaged and hurt because of this issue.
“Let’s work around what is available and ensure that these children, who are the leaders of tomorrow, get the best.
“They did examination to gain admission into the school; we paid N100 for the examination then and later, N10,000 for school uniform and other charges; we don’t want our resources to be a waste.
“Gov. Seyi Makinde should please rise to the occasion and save us from this injustice being perpetrated by the old students of the school,” he said.
Attempts by a NAN correspondent to speak with the Chairman of the old students’ association for Oyo State, Mr Femi Babalola and Mr Yomi Oke, another old student and the immediate past Commissioner for Youth and Sports in the state, however, proved abortive.
While Babalola said that it was only the principal of the school who could speak on the protest, Oke, on his own, said that he knew nothing about it.
When contacted, the state Commissioner of Education, Prof. Daud Shangodoyin, said through a text message that he had not been briefed about the development.
“I have not been briefed by our LIE (Local Inspector of Education) and the principals. At the appropriate time, I will brief the press,” the commissioner said in the text message. (NAN)
– Jan. 15, 2020 @ 18:09 GMT |
Tags: Parents kick as old students allegedly move to reduce JSS I class
