UNDERSTANDING WHEN TRANSPARENCY DOES NOT INCLUDE EXPOSING THE ROTS UNDER YOU.
Written by Saint-Olawale Jimoh

In the last few days, the internet has been littered with stories of how Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State sacked 2 Directors, 1 Deputy Director and 3 officers in Ogun State Ministry of Education over ‘offensive’ exam question.
    An examiner, Adegbenro Joel, in one of the schools within the State, had prepared English Language exam questions for the third term academic session of the State’s Unified Examination in Public Secondary Schools for SS1, which had a summary passage that took a critical look at the negligence of the education sector by the government. At the end of the controversial summary passage, students were asked to state the evidences given by the author that government has not done enough to assist the education sector and the way forward. That singular act started the whole controversy that led to the sacking of top officials in the Ministry of Education.

  In civilized climes, the concerned government would have taken time to read through the various scripts to see what the poor students have suggested in response as solutions to the challenges rather than going for the messenger and those who approved it.

  Be that as it may, the question I asked those who supported the action of the Governor is simple and clear. Would he have sacked them if the writer of the summary passage had praised Governor Amosun's government especially in the education sector where he practically hasn't done much?

   There are those who keep blaming the writer and those who approved it claiming it was wrong for them to bite the fingers that feed them. But for how long shall we continue to keep mute on issues bothering on the future of our children and besides, I think we are in the Change Era where everything has got to change for good? Gone are the days when governments seek citizens' opinion on issues affecting the general populace. Today, we hardly have listening governors but emperors and self colonial masters who just want to do things the way they deem it fit.

    I had written in my previous articles that we cannot build a great nation if all we do is seeing nothing wrong with everything our government do but unfortunately, we live in a nation of sycophants. In fact, it's almost becoming a tradition that when people benefit from a government, they will never see anything wrong done by their benefactors, others are perpetual praise-singers because of what they hope to get.

    Generally, the way education sector is being handled all over the nation calls for consideration. In those days, there were no private schools yet our students were competing favourably with those who attended schools abroad. Today, many schools run by the government, which were formerly known for academic excellence have suddenly lost their prestige and are living on past glories, all because of action and inaction of past and present governments.

   Ogun State's case is more worrisome. In fact as I type this article, the information reaching me has it that the JSS1 and SSS1 students in public schools across Ogun State were asked to come to school for their report sheets but surprisingly, the results were dictated to them because government couldn't provide dossiers for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd term. Yet the State government expect people to keep mute over this. It's not done! It's now left for the government to try as much as possible to improve the sector. And the best way to go about it is to seek people's opinion especially the practitioners in the sector. Government must embrace criticism in order to move forward. We just must right the wrong to have a nation of our dream.

APC preach another version of change the op may not comprehend. Change from paying of salaries to owing of salaries, change from obeying the law in appointments to making appointment without consulting the senators and CBN as constitution demands (Budget DG), change from I will stop boko haram within two months in power to we are winning the Battle while Nigerians are dying daily from boko haram attack etc.