Edo NUT faults Obaseki’s education programme 

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Edo State chapter has planned a showdown with Edo State government education programme termed EDOBEST, which they described as negation of the laid down regulations of the Union.

The Union, in a twist of fate has specifically faulted keeping of pupils in the public schools beyond 1.45 pm closing hour, abolition of leisure/sporting activities due to over-crowding learning contents and curriculum contents alleged not to be completely in tandem with Nigeria’s Basic Education curriculum.

It could be recalled that the Union had since August this year, threatened to embark on industrial action over alleged poor condition of services and welfare, which it later postponed to the end of the month.

A letter of protest dated September 19, signed by its State Chairman, Secretary and the State Chairman of Association of Primary School Head Teachers of Nigeria (AOPSHON), Pius Okhueleigbe, Moni Mike Modesty Itua and Segun Ogene respectively, was addressed to the Executive Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr. Joan Oviawe.

The Union noted in the protest letter 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.

“It has been revealed that most of the school children do not take their breakfasts before coming to school. Also, most parents do not provide food or money for snacks for their children due to the abject poverty that they found themselves.

“Consequently, the children have been reported to have fell ill too frequently when kept them beyond their closing hour of 1.45 pm.

“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 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,” they said.

Similarly, the teachers who also took a swipe at the abolition of leisure and sporting activities in the public schools, noted that education is centered on cognitive, affective and psychomotor.

While urging the Government to quickly look inwards and make amends on the abolition, they added that the stoppage of social and sporting activities would hinder the pupils to explore their various school environments in terms of physical education.

It 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.

On the school curriculum, the Union noted that the EDOBEST programme curriculum was at variance with the Nigeria’s basic education as regards primary school, especially the omission of Edo language as a subject from the EDOBEST programme.

They however urged the State Government and the manager of the programme to do the needful with a view to perfecting the programme, and that everything should be done to ensure that the curriculum contents conform with the national curriculum in all ramifications.