Osun Exco: Schools To Stop Admission Of Underage Students
The events of the Osun Exco meeting made available to the public has been by the Adviser to the Governor on Media Mr Sola Fasure.
According to the statement among things discussed during the Executive Council of the State of Osun meeting held on Thursday March1, 2018, is that school administration ensure that underage students are not granted admission to schools.
The full details of the issues discussed can be read below in a statement released by
Council congratulated the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on the 40thanniversary of its founding. Council noted the resilience, sagacity and unparallel commitment of the organisation in fighting for and protecting workers’ interest, even as it has fought doggedly to roll back tyranny, injustice, military dictatorship and civilian autocracy in the past 40 years. Council commended NLC for being in the vanguard of the movement for the enthronement of civil democratic government that all Nigerians now enjoy. To demonstrate solidarity with Labour, the state government renamed a major street in the state capital ‘Workers Drive’ in honour of the hardworking and committed workers in the state. This road has been reconstructed and will be commissioned on March 6, 2018. Council wished the union a very happy anniversary and many more fruitful years in the service of workers and indeed all Nigerians.
Council received report of the state of public schools and regretted that some of them (newly built and the old ones) have not been well maintained. Council condemned this development and urged those in charge, particularly facility managers and school heads, to immediately address the situation.
Council directed that all intended physical development and buildings in any public school must receive the approval of the Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning and the Ministry of Education. This is because the Government has a master plan which such developments and buildings must fit into. Secondly, buildings, no matter well intended, must not constitute threat to life and property. Thirdly, such buildings must conform with and be up to the aesthetic standards of the state. No school must consequently allow any building within its premises without the express approval from these ministries.
Council directed all schools not to admit underage pupils anymore. A child’s development process and emotional and cognitive capabilities are directly proportional to his or her age. Such underage pupils regrettably are being saddled with cognitive and physical responsibilities beyond their age. They should be withdrawn from school forthwith. Any school head found to be condoning this practice will be sanctioned. It is a great disservice to such children and a destruction of their educational foundation to keep them in schools. Parents and mothers in particular have the responsibility to take care of their children and nurture them until they are old enough for school.
Council noted with dismay the report of teenage pregnancies in public schools in the state and declared it a moral failure on the part of the parents, teachers, the pupils concerned and the society at large. Council urged parents, teachers, health officials and medical organisations to commence sex education and counselling in the schools immediately and warn the pupils of the dangers and consequences of engaging in sexual activities. Council also charged the girls to take charge of their bodies in order to protect their lives and secure their future. Council reminded the members of the public that it is a criminal offence to engage in sexual activities with a child less than 18 years of age and directed teachers, school heads, hospitals and medical institutions to report any such incident they observed to the authorities for criminal prosecution.
It has come to the attention of council that some officials of the State Government of Osun have been circumventing the e-payment policy of government that requires all payments in taxes, levies, rates and fines be paid directly into government account. Such officers have been reported to be issuing dubious receipts. These receipts are unauthorised and inspire no confidence that the revenues so collected get into the government treasury. Any officer involved should know that he or she is committing a grievous crime against the state and will face the full wrath of the law. Member of the public are urged to pay any government dues directly into government account and not to any individual.