Ogun sacks six over ‘offensive’ exam question
http://www.gatewaymail.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Amosun.jpgNIGERIA: OGUN State government has fired six officials in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology over an examination question set by a teacher, but considered to be offensive and embarrassing to the government.
Among those sacked are the Director in charge of Education Support Services, Mrs. Folashade Oresegun, the Director, Curriculum Development and Evaluation, Mr. Rotimi Odunsi, both on Grade 17, and a Grade 16 officer, Mr. Majekodunmi Oluwole.
After a review, Oresegun and Odunsi got reprieve as their sack was converted to compulsory retirement.
Also asked to go home are Mr. E.O. Asegbe (Grade 10), Taylor Damilola (Grade 8) and Mr. Joel Adegbenro, an English Language teacher at Mayflower Secondary School, Ikenne.
Adegbenro was alleged to have set an embarrassing summary question as part of the English Language examination for the third term academic session of the State Unified Examination for secondary students.
According to reliable sources, the officials got into trouble following the perception of the government of Senator Ibikunle Amosun that the comprehension passage was a deliberate attack on the educational policy of the government.
The officials were subsequently invited to defend themselves before a panel set up by the Bureau of Establishment and Training, after which the punishments were meted out to them, having been found guilty of various offences not in tune with the civil service rules.
Though it didn’t mention Ogun State, but the summary read: “There is no arguing about the fact that the government is merely paying lip service to the development of education. It is true that a lot of money is being spent on the education sector but with little or no impact felt by the people, except where we want to deceive ourselves.
“Many schools run by the government, which were formerly known for academic excellence have suddenly lost their prestige and are living on past glories. No wonder, many parents and guardians are threateningly left with only one option, to withdraw their wards from these schools to other ones that are better managed.
“The evidences to show that the government is not doing enough to assist in the development of education are many. Even pupils in both primary and secondary schools can volunteer a good list on their finger tips.
“One of the numerous indications is the government’s inability to pay running cost to schools. The running cost is the token amount per pupil paid to school administrators to run the affairs of the school in a term. This has been neglected to pile up for several academic sessions.
“Another one is the regular poor conduct of terminal examinations. These examinations are not usually conducted as and when due. The government may have one excuse or the other, but real educationists know that appropriate timing is a strong factor in the process of Continuous Assessment (CA) of students. Thus, a situation, where for instance, the first term examination is shifted to second term is an outright departure from the norms and ethics of Continuous Assessment.”
It was learnt that the passage was culled from Jola Adegbenro’s Issues on Education Today.
Speaking on the sack, when contacted, the Head of Service, Mrs. Modupe Adekunle, said: “I am aware that not all of them were dismissed, some were terminated, some compulsorily retired.”
She further explained: “When the issue came up, the state government put in the necessary process. A panel was set up to investigate and based on their recommendations, the civil service commission has to decide.”
“It is a decision that has been related to the affected officers,” Adekunle said, adding: “The normal process was that a panel was set up, the report forwarded to the Civil Service Commission for the civil servants, the Teaching Service Commission, for the teachers.”
She stated that the punishment was in line with the civil service rules, while stressing that “due process was followed to the latter.”
