It has now become an offence for any teachers in Ondo State public schools across the state to enrol their children in private schools, the Ondo state government stated.
The Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Hon Victor Olabimtan, who stated this in a statement said the steps became necessary following the dwindling population of pupils in public primary schools across the state.
According to Olabimtan, in the statement signed by the Head of Press and Information Services of the board, Bisi Agboola, expressed government worries over the development, despite its investment in primary education across the state.
Agboola said the chairman, at a meeting with head teachers across the three senatorial districts of the state, “frowned at the dwindling population of pupils in public schools in spite of government efforts.
According to him “Hon Olabimtan noted that the teachers will henceforth be held responsible for any drop in schools’ enrolment.
“The SUBEB chairman condemned in strong terms the attitude of some teachers taking their biological children to private schools and ruled that it has become an offence for any public school teachers to take their wards to private schools.
“Olabimtan said Ondo state government will not relent in its efforts at upgrading school standards as well as its personnel.
“He called on the Education Secretary in the 18 Local government areas not to hesitate at reporting any teacher found wanting in their duty post for possible sanction.
“The chairman, therefore, charged the teachers to buckle up and do the needful in the area of enrollment drive and shun any act of indolence.
The statement added that the state government has approved that serving primary school teachers can now reach the level-16 status like their counterparts in the civil service.
By implication, the statement added that it “means they can be considered for the position of permanent secretary when such vacancy is opened.”
Meanwhile, promotion letters were distributed to 2,111 teachers of which about 85 are of grade level sixteen.
0labimtan commended the state governor, Akeredolu for providing UBEC Counterpart funding which has hitherto been neglected for about five years paving way for the massive reconstruction of schools, renovations as well as provision of furniture items.
The state Chairman of PTA, Alhaji Abimbola Omo-Oloja, while responding, thanked the governor, for his interest in lifting education from the foundation.
Omo-Oloja, who pledged the unflinching support of parents at all times, appealed for the return of extracurricular activities in schools.