Edo teachers slam govt’s education policy

EDO State teachers under the umbrella of the Nigeria Union of Teachers have slammed the new curriculum of the state government’s education programme termed ‘Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation’ (EDOBEST) for being at variance with Nigeria’s basic education as regards primary school.

The teachers specifically decried the omission of Edo language as a subject from the EDOBEST programme, which they insisted is a negation of the laid down regulations of the union.

The union specifically condemned the keeping of pupils in the public schools beyond 1.45 pm closing hour, abolition of leisure/sporting activities due to over crowded learning and curriculum contents alleged not to be completely in tandem with Nigeria’s basic education curriculum.

The union which is presently at daggers drawn with the government over conditions of service had since August threatened to embark on industrial action over poor conditions of service and welfare, which it later postponed to the end of the month.

A protest letter dated September 19, 2018 was jointly signed by the NUT chairman, Mr. Pius Okhueleigbe; the secretary, Mr. Moni Mike Modesty Itua, and the state chairman of the Association of Primary School Head Teachers of Nigeria (AOPSHON), Mr. Segun Ogene.

The letter which was addressed to the executive chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr. Joan Oviawe, explained that the adjustment of resumption and closing time in the public primary schools in the state was unilaterally done by the SUBEB without recourse to the laid down regulations of the NUT.

According to them, most of the school children do not take their breakfast before going to school just as majority of parents do not provide food or money for snacks for their children due to the abject poverty.

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Consequently, Okwukeigbe, Modesty-Itua and Ogene added that the children have been reported to have taken ill frequently when kept beyond their closing hour of 1.45 pm.

They said: “Additionally, they lose total concentration during the extra time for the fact that they had attained the ‘learning plateau’. As a result, the teachers are made to run from pillar to post trying to remedy the bad situation.

“It is worth mentioning that the Edo State government or the Federal Government of Nigeria has not commenced the much-awaited school feeding programme in our state, which perhaps may have provided succour to the pupils.”

The teachers also took a swipe at the abolition of leisure and sporting activities in the public schools, noting that education is centred on cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains.

While urging the government to quickly look inwards and rescind the abolition, the teachers added that the stoppage of social and sporting activities would hinder the pupils from exploring their various school environments in terms of physical education.

They said the union was concerned that the products from primary schools may become deficient despite the state government’s intention for an all-round/all inclusive primary education in the state.