Controversy still trails Osun re-classification of schools

The last has not been heard about the controversies surrounding the new Osun State educational policy that re-classified and merged secondary schools.  This is in view of the fact that changes of any type normally generate reactions because it will have impact on human lives.  Besides, another  governorship election in the State is coming up next year and politicians are looking for issues for campaign.
The state government debunked the beating up of the Principal of Ejigbo Baptist High School, Mr. Layi Oguntola which was link to re-classification and merger of schools. The controversies that trailed it have not ended. The government on its part promised to hold a summit to address indiscipline among students and the Osun State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the school’s Old Students Association put the ugly situation as part of the new policy.
The Deputy Governor of Osun State, Mrs. Grace Titilayo Laoye-Tomori, disclosed that with a view to curtailing gross indiscipline among students of public schools in the state and, in order to mould the students to become good citizens and pride of the state, the state government will next year hold a summit.  She made this disclosure while addressing students of the Baptist High School, Ejigbo when she paid an unscheduled visit to the school in an attempt to ascertain the situation of things where some students last week beat up the principal of the school, Mr. Oguntola.
According to her, the reclassification exercise in the state’s public primary and secondary schools was aimed at repositioning primary and post- primary education adding that all SSS 3 students in the state’s public secondary schools and their teachers would  be given ‘Opon Imo’ (Tablet of Knowledge) free to enhance their learning capacities.
However, the Osun state CAN  in its communiqué signed by Reverend E.O.Ogundiya  and made available to Sunday   Newswatch in Osogbo after its emergency meeting held on Thursday,
November 26, 2013 averred that : “The continued silence of the Osun State Government on the problems caused by this new education policy is like sitting on a keg of gunpowder. For instance, there have been lot of disturbances in Public Missionary Schools in the state, particularly on the use of hijab.
The climax was the attack on some innocent teachers and Pupils of Baptist High School, Ejigbo by some Muslim youths on Monday, 25th November, 2013. The Ejigbo incident is an infraction of the rule of law, especially given the fact that the hijab issue is presently before the Osogbo High Court. The Ejigbo debacle has shown that the mode adopted in the execution of the re-classification of schools is capable of breeding and unleashing pure terrorism and insurgency in the mould of  Boko Haram on the otherwise peace loving people of Osun State for which posterity will hold

Aregbesola administration liable
The Deputy Governor Mrs Laoye Tomori  disclosed that the state government has invested so much in the state’s education sector with the aim of ensuring educational development adding that the summit will address all education related cases. She added that the state government has set up two committees that will look into immediate and remote causes of the last fracas at Baptist High School, Ejigbo and advise the state government on how best to prevent a reoccurrence of the situation. Members of the committee, according to her, include three royal fathers, state executive members of NUT, school principals, top government functionaries, religious leaders, market men and women and parents.
Addressing teachers of Ejigbo Local Government at the NUT Teachers’ House, Ejigbo, the state Commissioner for Education said government of the state will not condone any act of indiscipline among students  and  public in schools in the state and would stop at nothing to ensure that
all students adhered strictly to school rules and regulations. Frowning at the attitude of some parents who are fond of leaving the care of their children to the whims and caprices of teachers, Mrs. Laoye-Tomori, said teachers and parents are expected to jointly bring up the students adding that teachers are to handle students just as they do their own biological children.
At the palace of Ogiyan of Ejigbo, Oba Omowonuola Oyeyode Oyesosin, the Deputy Governor called for all hands to be on deck to restore fear and respect of teachers into the hearts of every student. She also used the occasion to appeal to mothers to develop more interest in the welfare of their children, monitor their conducts at home and school, their response to their studies, together with their dealings with other members of the society, most especially the elders. The Ogiyan of
Ejigbo, Oba Omowonuola Oyeyode Oyesosin, appealed to government of the state to fashion out better ways to solve all lingering crisis pervading the state’s education sector.
The state Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Alhaji Saka Adesiyan, appealed to the state government to compensate principals and teachers who were victims of last week fracas. He also urged government of the state to set in motion mechanism aimed at forestalling a reoccurence of such ignoble act in future.
The Old Students Association of the school on the other hand in their communiqué signed by their National President, Mr. Niyi Oladejo and National Publicity Secretary, Prince Sola Ajiboye on December 2, 2013 made available to Sunday Newswatch in Osogbo recommended strict adherence to the policy of the state on the use of hijab in public and mission schools, adherence to resolutions reached twice, prior to the crisis, between CAN/Baptist community, P.T.A.and the Muslim community that students who may want to wear hijab should seek transfer to schools where it is permitted.  The Principal commended for principled stand and defence of the tradition of the school.
The All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary School’s (ANCOPSS’) Osun chapter urged people of the state not to bring religion and politics to education. ANCOPSS President in the State, Mrs. Motunrayo Olagunju made the call at the 23rd State Congress of ANCOPSS held at ANCOPSS House, off Osogbo-Ikirun bye-pass, Oke Oniti, Osogbo. Olagunju commended Aregbesola for bringing about the much needed development to the people in the education sector through the reclassification of public schools in the state. She pointed out that the re-classification of Secondary schools in the state to Middle and High School has its attendant challenges. But it is still the best that
education has ever witnessed in the history of the state. The president of the school managers said: “I want to call on our people in the state not to bring politics and religion into education.  We, the school managers have come to realise that the policy of reclassification will bring out the best in our education.
“ANCOPPS commends the developmental strides of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and we express our willingness to partner with the government to bring about the much needed development to our people in the sector. Your excellency, we maKe bold to say that, you have shown by your steady achievements through dint of hard work that we all can aspire for the best”. She stressed.
The governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in his remarks appreciated the quality support of ANCOPSS for his Administration and the various change-inspiring reforms it has initiated in public school system.
Speaking on the issue of school reclassification, Aregbesola held that the determination to reposition schools for the better, has inspired varied reactions from different segments of the public. The governor said, the decision to reclassify the system and merge some schools where necessary is informed by the outcome of the education summit he organised shortly after he assumed office. He pointed out that the summit came up with a reform blueprint to overhaul the public education sector.   He said: “Our actions hitherto in this sector have been towards the transformation of the blueprint of that summit into reality. With unprecedentedly creative and focused statecraft, our Administration has stormed and decimated the Bastille of disorganised educational system in Osun.
“The school reclassification is not an idea informed by religious sentiments or momentary impulse. We merged schools not because we want to silence any group, destroy cherished legacies, or to unduly favour any religious or social group above another. The overall goal of the policy is to enable us deploy our little resources evenly and judiciously across our public schools. With the reclassification, we are better placed to give different categories of learners the right attention suitable to their ages.” Aregbesola told the school managers.
Meanwhile, in a move considered as anti –CAN position, a Christian group with the name Group of 21 Prayer Warriors has raised alarm over plans by some people in the Osun State chapter of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to destabilise and destroy the harmonious relationship existing for centuries among of people different faiths but the Christian umbrella body denied any knowledge of the existence of the group and its members.