- - - Decry Exclusion Of Students Representatives In Committee For Reopening Of Schools
- The Daily Crucible
Students in Ogun State have called on Governor Dapo Abiodun to urgently appoint a substantive Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, lamenting that the vacuum in the Ministry is responsible for the slow - paced progress in the state's education sector.
The students in a joint statement by the National President of the National Association of Ogun State Students (NAOSS), Comrade Oluwagbemileke Ogunrombi and the State Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Tomiwa Bamgbose, on Thursday said no serious government which genuinely desire results and development in the education sector would leave the Education Ministry without a substantive leadership.
"Education, as one of the most important sectors in the State deserves all the attention it needs from the government. The vacuum in the leadership of the Ministry of Education as a result of the vacant post of a Commissioner has no doubt adversely affected the development the sector.
"There is an urgent need for Governor Dapo Abiodun to appoint a substantive Commissioner for the Education Ministry that will bring into manifestation of the policies of the government for the sector.
"Since Professor Sidi Osho was drop as the Commissioner for Education, the Governor has refused to make an appointment into the Ministry and this has no doubt slow down the development of the sector.
"The Ministry deserves a qualified, experienced and committed professional with track records of unprecedented achievements both in the public and private sectors.
"Ogun State is not in short supply of intellectuals and professionals who can provide the needed direction for the Ministry and in considering the candidate to be appointed as Commissioner, we want to advise that nobody lesser than Professor be appointed as the Ministry's head," the statement reads in part.
And being a critical stakeholder, the students also berated Governor Dapo Abiodun - led State government for excluding them in the Committee set up for the reopening of schools in the State.
"We want to register our dissatisfaction and displeasure over the decision of the State government to set up a committee on the reopening of schools without appointing a representative from the student community to be part of that committee.
"We want to question the rationale behind the composition of the School reopening committee when the student community which is the major stakeholder in the education sector, does not have a single representative in that committee.
"It is not only disheartening but also embarrassing and unprofessional for the student constituency to be excluded where decisions that mainly concern them would be made without them being part of such decision making body.
"This is another flaw by the State government and we want to believe that this is caused by the absence of a Commissioner in the Ministry of Education.
"We also want to register our displeasure on the State government's exclusion of students in the committee set up on the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) act, to tackle incessant rape incidents in the State.
"It is no longer news that the majority of the victims of the incessant rape cases are female students.
"It is therefore disappointing that such a committee would set up to fight rape and other violence against girls without the input of students, who are often the victims of the evil act.
"We are using this medium to call on the State government to rescind its decisions and urgently correct these anomalies to avoid a clash between the student community and the State government," they concluded.
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