By Ademola Orunbon
The Ogun State Government has assured members of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), of its readiness to provide adequate security for them as they carry out their duties, urging them to do this without fear of molestation from any quarter.
Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu gave this assurance in Abeokuta while addressing executive members of the Unions, on steps already taken by government to put a stop to the assault of some teachers by some students, in company of their parents and hoodlums in the past few weeks.
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Arigbabu disclosed that the government had already held a meeting with relevant security agencies on modalities of curbing the ugly trend, adding that students caught in the unruly behaviour are to be charged to court for prosecution.
He reiterated the position of the Prince Dapo Abiodun led administration towards ensuring that lawless behaviours, such as bullying teachers and other students would be nipped in the bud.
“I want to assure all teachers in the State that the government will continue to give them maximum support. You should be able to do your work without fear or rancour and we will appeal to teachers that we are not going to relent in making sure that all your concerns and entitlements are met”, he said.
Arigbabu emphasised that the government remained unwavering in its desire to create an enabling environment for teachers to work, affirming that it would ensure all matters of concern to them in terms of remuneration and entitlements were paid promptly.
In his remarks, the Chairman, Teaching Service Commission, Evang. Olalekan Ifede urged the teachers to comport themselves with decency, maintaining that indiscipline would also not be condoned from teachers and principals.
In their respective responses, the NUT Chairman, Comrade Abiodun Akinola and the ASUSS counterpart, Comrade Akeem Lasisi appreciated government’s efforts in tackling the recent unruly activities in schools, and expressed their conviction that actions already taken would help make the ugly development a thing of the past.
The duo also called for a review of some educational policies and disciplinary matters, while appealing for the collective efforts of teachers, principals, head teachers and parents’ associations to address the situation, pledging that on their part as leaders of the Unions, they would not tolerate unprofessional conducts.
