Edo govt shuts college over students’ attack on teachers, police

The Edo State Government has ordered indefinite closure of Idogbo Secondary School in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of the state, following the attack on teachers and a police officer by students.

The Commissioner for Education in the state, Joan Osa-Oviawe, gave the order on Thursday in Benin.

Some students had, on December 3, chased away one of the police officers brought in to maintain law and order in the school, as the students were about to take their first term examinations.

NAN reported that Governor Godwin Obaseki, accompanied by the secretary to the state government, commissioner for education and other government officials, visited the school to assess the extent of damage.

Mrs Osa-Oviawe said the state government would take serious action on the crisis in the school in order to serve as a deterrent.

One of the government approaches, according to her, is to compel the parents of the students to pay some damages.

“We condemn, in strongest terms, what those students did. It is unacceptable. We have zero tolerance for destruction of government property.

“The students and their parents are going to be held accountable for this. Somebody has to pay for the repairs and it will not just be the government.

“So, the school will be shut down and we will regroup and reorganise.

“If you go to the school, what was destroyed will cost a minimum of N30 million, and that is a very conservative estimate.

“Government is not going to start putting money that would have been used for other schools or things. So, all the parents of the students in that school are going to be held responsible,” she said.

Mrs Osa-Oviawe said that another approach would be to expand the school infrastructure to make learning more conducive for the students.

“We want to strengthen the curriculum and amenities in that school and other schools so that students are gainfully engaged throughout their time in school.

“Sporting activities will also be reintroduced in the school, along with experts in guidance and counseling.

“The fifth pillar of ‘EdoBest’ is value. We want to ensure we bring back value into our system. Discipline is going to be restored in that school and all our schools across the state,” she said.

The NAN correspondent, who visited the school on Thursday, reported that the administrative block was completely vandalised, while documents and other property were set ablaze.

(NAN)