Schools owned and run by the Ogun State government are now issuing their students report cards written on plain sheets of papers; SaharaReporters has found out. “This is a ridiculous development,” said a parent of one of the pupils in a state-run school. She was one of several parents who criticized the practice, voicing deep concern for their children’s academic future.
Among the schools in Ogun State that issued such report cards, obtained by our correspondent, is Abeokuta Grammar School, a venerable institution attended by numerous prominent Nigerians. Our correspondent obtained a sample of a report card showing a student’s percentage in an examination, the class the student was promoted to, and school resumption date. The school stamp is conspicuously displayed on the sheet of paper.
An administrator at one of the state’s public schools told our correspondent that schools had to resort to writing reports on sheets of paper “because of the lackadaisical attitude of top officials in the Ministry of Education.”
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| Ogun State Report Card Photo Credit: Sahara Reporters |
Another parent, Olanrewaju Adeoti, described the development as a sign that education had taken a nosedive in the state, adding that it was regrettable.
He said that a large percentage of students whose parents cannot afford tuition fees at private institutions were likely to have their prospect of receiving quality education jeopardized.
Several parents told our correspondent that the embarrassing development was a symptom of a crisis in the state’s educational sector, adding that state officials were toying with the future of innocent children.
Rotimi Farounbi, the principal of Abeokuta Grammar School, located in Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, admitted that the college issued the controversial 'report card' on a sheet of paper. He claimed, however, that the result was just a notification, adding that the school would issue proper report cards to all students. But one of the parents said he remained doubtful, drawing attention to the fact that schools in the state are due to resume classes in about two weeks, after a prolonged holiday.
When our reporter reminded the principal that classes would soon resume, he simply reaffirmed his position, declaring, “It is not report card [that was issued], but the notification for the parents. We are still going to issue report cards to the students.”
Contacted by our correspondent, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Kola Fagbohun, said the government would investigate the issue, adding that it was a shocking development.
“We heard about it, and we are investigating because that is strange,” he said.
Source: Sahara Reporters
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