By: Ade Adeleke
The Ondo state chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools’ of Nigeria (ASUSS) has lambasted the Senior Special Assistant to Ondo state Governor on Special duties, Dr Doyin Odebowale for making unfounded allegation against teachers in the state.
The Union said rather than generalising such allegation against teachers in the state, Odebowale should have been specific and mention names and schools of such teachers using students for home chores.
The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, Doyin Odebowale at a briefing had accused teachers in the state of engaging pupils for domestic chores.
He urged teachers to desist from using pupils to work in the private farms under the guise of practicals for agricultural studies or face sanction or Prosecution.
According to Odebowale, “We gathered that some teachers in schools in rural areas have formed the habit of using pupils to work in their private farms under the guise of doing agricultural practicals. Some send female pupils to be cooking for them.
“We are sending warning to teachers to desist from such act. Our office will not hesitate to prosecute any teacher found abusing our children,” Odebowale said.
However reacting, the State Chairman of ASUSS, Comrade Tajudeen Balogun said teachers were currently busy with how to cover lost ground in the academic activities of students and it was unthinkable and unacceptable for any political appointee to make such unguided comment.
He pleaded with Governo Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, to call Odebowale to order not to drag the name of hard working teachers in the state in the mud.
While congratulating Governor Akeredolu on his re-election, Balogun assured his administration that teachers in the state would continue to do their best to ensure Ondo state maintains its leading position in the country’s education sector.
“Let him (Odebowale) go to any school in the state, all teachers are very busy now with their official duties because many things had been lost to long holiday caused by COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have best crops of teachers in ondo state. Nobody should drag our names in the mud. We advise Dr Odebowale to stop making wring allegation against us.
“We urge that he (Odebowale) should courageous enough to name who send students on private farms or works. We therefore want to congratulate Mr Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on his recent reelection,” Balogun said.