College suspends 26 students over cultism, others in Osun

TO check indiscipline among pupils in Osun State, 26 students of Baptist High School, Gbodofon, Osogbo have been suspended indefinitely for alleged immoral conduct, cult activities and disruption of academic programme in the institution.

   The suspension of the affected students came after an investigation conducted by the school authority on involvement of students in cult activities.

   In a related development, the Osun State Government has described as untrue claims by a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant, Senator Iyiola Omisore, that the current administration in the state has built only 11 new schools while embarking on the demolition of the ones inherited from its predecessors. 

   Meanwhile, Governor Aregbesola has urged Nigerians to patronize locally made products, saying doing so would boost the economy and create job opportunities.

   Though, teachers in the school declined comment on the matter, The Guardian, however, gathered that both male and female students were sanctioned by the school management.

   The students were alleged to have been involved in various atrocities including locking up teachers within the school premises for hours.

   The state Chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) who is also the State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Saka Adesiyan, while commenting on the issue noted that the suspension order was timely and would serve as deterrent to other students.

   Adesiyan, while condemning the act by the students wondered what was currently happening in the school system.

   He said the ugly development had created bad impression in the education sector, pointing out that all stakeholders must rise to the challenge.

   Also, the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Najeem Salaam, has condemned what he called absurdity displayed at Baptist High School, Iwo for the series of crises and disruption of academic activities in the institution.

   Salaam alleged that the students were instigated for using different religious dressing codes to cause chaos in the school.

   A statement by his press secretary, Goke Butikakuro, said that the action of the pupils was absurd.

   Omisore, at a press briefing on Sunday in Osogbo, the state capital had faulted the education reform policy by Governor Rauf Aregbesola, saying the All Progressives Congress (APC) government had delivered just 11 schools after demolishing scores of school buildings that would have been useful to pupils.

   But reacting on the matter yesterday, the Chairman, Osun Schools Infrastructural Development Committee otherwise known as “O’ School, Lai Oyeduntan, said Omisore was economical with the truth over his claims, insisting that the state government had constructed and delivered several new school buildings to provide conducive atmosphere for teaching and learning.

   He said that the PDP chieftain’s claim lacked credibility, pointing out that even in Omisore’s constituency alone about four of such schools were built at various locations including St. John Grammar

School, Ile-Ife, Omisore’s alma mata.

   Oyeduntan urged those seeking political offices in the state, particularly the opposition parties to exercise restraint in an attempt to get cheap popularity.

   According to him, the government of Aregbesola did not demolish any school, pointing out that a number of the dilapidated structures, which posed as danger to pupils and teachers and other users of school premises were removed at the instance of heads of such schools.

   The governor also charged local manufacturers to ensure quality standard products in order to make them have competitive edge and acceptable to prospective buyers locally and internationally.

  

He made the call on Tuesday at the presentation of MANCAP Quality Certificate to Osun State Investment Company Limited (OSICOL) by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and official launch of Essence Table Water, a product of the company.

   Represented by his Deputy, Titi Laoye Tomori, the governor noted that low quality standard was the bane of local industries, stressing that the level of patronage of their products would increase if they make quality and standard their watchword.

   Aregbesola, in his speech entitled “Improving live through standard”, said his administration would play its part by creating enabling environment for investment to thrive.