The Edo state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the State government ban on private schools from hosting the annual First Primary School Leaving and the Junior Secondary School Certificate Final Examinations, JSSCE.
A statement signed by the Assistant State Publicity Secretary of the party, Victor Ofure Osehobo quoted the State Chairman of the party, Col David Imuse RTD as saying that the State government’s decision, “is uncalled for, draconian and against the interest and well-being of parents, children and the private sector in the State”.
According to the statement Col Imuse said, “Is it not ridiculous that this is coming from the same government that prides itself with carrying out all manners of reforms in the Education and the private sectors? Here is a government which in its characteristic fire brigade approach announced a ban but has not designated centres where the examinations would take place in March 2023, less than three months to the time”.
“We are aware that most, if not all private schools have paid the taxes and levies demanded by the government and have teachers teaching students. How can students come to class when they have written their final examinations and Who pays for the remaining months of the academic session without students in classes?
“Edo state government is responsible for the licensing of private schools. Ideally, before such licenses are issued, officials try to ensure that operators meet minimum standards including approved teaching and management personnel, minimum size of school buildings, libraries and laboratories, proper identification of students with uniforms and identity cards, amongst others. It is also the responsibility of these officials to follow up after issuing licences to ensure that approved schools maintain these standards.
“However, under Governor Godwin Obaseki’s desperate bid to boost Internally generated revenue, IGR, in the last six years, it has thrown standards overboard by approving all manners of private schools, some in creeks, in shacks and shanties! These are the schools specializing in duping parents so their unqualified children/wards can enter for exams as long as they pay taxes into government coffers.
“It is a shame that the Obaseki government is just realizing that its licensed schools operate as centres of examination malpractices or ‘miracle centres’. The government should take the blame for these approved bedroom classrooms or business centres.
In conclusion, the APC chairman called on the government to immediately, rescind the anti-people decision because March 2023 is the middle of the second term and the schemes of work have not been completed for the session to warrant final examinations, even in public schools, which are suffering from dearth of teachers.
“Writing an examination three months ahead of schedule apart from being counterproductive cannot in any way enhance students’ performance or improve education standards, which the Obaseki administration has systematically demolished over the years with his bad policies”.
Signed
Victor Ofure Osehobo
Assistant State Publicity Secretary,
Edo APC.