Schools ordered to reopen excluding the 17 whose students protested
Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Toye Arulogun, this morning gave the modality for the submission of apology letter to the state government by students of the secondary schools that protested against the state government’s new education policy.
In a statement made available to IBPulse, Arulogun said until both the principals and the students are able to submit the undertaking and apology letters respectively, the underlisted schools will remain shut even as other schools are reopened today. The schools are:
- Baptist Secondary School, Senior and Junior, Oke Ado, Ibadan
- Ansarudeen Secondary School, Liberty Road Ibadan
- Ansarudeen High School, Liberty Road, Ibadan,
- Ibadan Grammar School, Senior and Junior,Molete, Ibadan
- Olubi Memorial Grammar SchooL, Molete, Ibadan,
- St Luke Grammar School, Senior and Junior, Molete, Ibadan
- St Luke College, Molete, Ibadan
- Yejide Girls Grammar School, Molete, Ibadan
- Methodist Grammar School, Senior and Junior Bodija, Ibadan
- Methodist Secondary School, Bodija,(Favos) Ibadan
- Oba Akinyele Memorial High School, Bashorun, Idi ape, Ibadan
- Ikolaba Grammar School, Agodi, Ibadan
- Ikolaba Secondary School, Agodi, Ibadan
- Ikolaba High School, Agodi, Ibadan
- Lagelu Grammar School, Agugu, Ibadan
- Okebadan High School, Oluyoro, Ibadan
- Ibadan Boys High School, Okebola, Ibadan
“The affected schools will remain shut until the principals and the management of the schools submit an undertaking to the government that the students under their care will not engage in nor be used for violent acts and that their safety will be guaranteed. Considering the need for strong character moulding and to emphasize the importance of good conduct and acceptable behaviour for the leaders of tomorrow, the students must tender a written apology to the government through the school management,” Arulogun said.
The commissioner added that government decided to close schools in the state about a month ago because the protest-turned-violence threatened the peace and security of the state and endangered the lives of the students who participated in the breach of peace and affront on constituted authority.
“Consequently, the Oyo State Government was constrained to shut down public schools throughout the State to safeguard the lives of the students and protect the lives and property of the citizenry; a decision that was taken in the line of its primary duty of ensuring peace and safety in the state,” Arulogun said.
But following several representations by the Parents Teachers Association, Community Leaders, Religious leaders, Traditional Rulers, Prominent and well meaning Nigerians at home and abroad, the commissioner said Oyo state government has decided to reopen public schools in the State with effect from today Monday 11th July 2016.
I guess parents will start helping their children to write and submit the required apology letter.