A story on the dearth of good furniture in Ikeja Grammar School, Lagos, published by Saturday PUNCH last Saturday drew a wrong chord with the Lagos State Government.

Last Monday, it suspended the school principal for allowing this writer to gain access to the school premises and take photographs of classes where pupils sat on windows and concrete blocks while learning.

Even though it was reported in the story titled, “Lagos school where pupils learn sitting on windows, concrete blocks” that the principal was not around when this journalist visited the school, Saturday PUNCH learnt that her superiors have decided to hang the blame of the scandal on her.

Efforts to speak to the principal as the news of her suspension broke on Monday, were unsuccessful as she was nowhere to be found in the school. Teachers are not allowed to speak with the press in the state.

But an irked teacher, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the principal was removed from her position as a punishment on Monday.

The teacher said, “This is more serious than you think; you have put this school in trouble. The education ‘oga’ (commissioner) and other state officials summoned the principal on Monday and she has been removed from her position.

“She was asked to start reporting to the office of the permanent secretary of the ministry of education as from Tuesday.”

Our correspondent, who paid an undercover visit to the school on Monday, noticed that the issue had put all the teachers in the school on edge as many of them were seen holding copies of the published report.

It was also learnt that the state government’s education top officials had gone a step further by querying a teacher who was teaching a class when photographs of an array of broken furniture the pupils sat on were taken.

Our source within the school said another teacher, a head of department, is also facing the ministry’s ‘fire’ in connection to the said publication. The Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, had last week Friday admitted that her ministry was aware of the issue of the bad furniture in the school.

“Thank you for your observation; we are not unaware. As I write, chairs are being supplied and before too long, it will go round the schools,” a text message from her said on Friday. But by Monday when this correspondent visited the school, no new chairs had been supplied.

This correspondent got in touch with the Lagos State Chairman of the All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools, Mr. Babatunde Philips, to find out if the state of furniture in secondary schools in the state had been a subject of discussion in the conference’s deliberations in the past.

But Phillips said he could not comment on the issue at the time.

“I heard about the suspension of the principal (of Ikeja Grammar School). It makes me very sad that she had to be suspended. But we are planning to make our findings about the issue. I cannot say anything about the issue right now,” he said.

The state government’s action after last Saturday’s publication seems to have become a trend in the way it handles issues relating to its responsibilities.

In August 2013, after Saturday PUNCH published a report on the state of an orphanage located beside a house owned by the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Orelope Adejoke-Adefulire, operated by Mrs. Rose Nwachukwu, the state government closed down the orphanage and arrested the woman even though experts said officials should have monitored the orphanage’s activities in the first place.

When a text message was sent to Oladunjoye on Thursday on the report that the principal was suspended, Oladunjoye replied simply, “Which report is that please? I know a report is already in the public domain.”

Good•

This is the height of tyranny. I read the original article whr the school officials said they had sent several requests to the state ministry of education asking for furniture, why should this woman be punished just because some people are incompetent ? The principal refused offers from the pta to handle this same furniture palava just so she wont get into trouble but here it is again, seems you never can please dictators sha.

Ok two classes were merged together for a class,
And there was not enough furniture in the temporarily enlarged class to go round.

bloggernaija: Ok two classes were merged together for a class,
And there was not enough furniture in the temporarily enlarged class to go round.

Wonders shall never end, the offender wielding the big stick on the defenseless when in fact should be the one on its toes..impunity everwhere..
And APC wants to take power over from the centre where they can not fix a common school at the heart of their own government instead they removed the head of the school for allowing the Nigerians to see their hypocrisy outside..There more rotten schools in lagos than anywhere around south west states..Too much media hype about the achievement of tom boy Fashola is beginning to show up..

talktimi: This is the height of tyranny. I read the original article whr the school officials said they had sent several requests to the state ministry of education asking for furniture, why should this woman be punished just because some people are incompetent ? The principal refused offers from the pta to handle this same furniture palava just so she wont get into trouble but here it is again, seems you never can please dictators sha.

Thats what to expect when APC gets power, MILITARIAN rule. They criticise other parties and dont want anyone to criticise in a democracy! The other week it was Oshiomole telling a widow to “go and die”.

Too much for "progressive"

bloggernaija: Ok two classes were merged together for a class,
And there was not enough furniture in the temporarily enlarged class to go round.

When it comes to your APC you begin to rationalize nonsense..just read your post loudly to yourself and try to understand what you just wrote

@ topic..When Channels did an expose on the Ikeja Police college,GEJ didn't sack the commandant of the college but now Punch does an Expose on the rot at a Lagos School and Fashola starts victimizing the Principal

.Maku was right afterall when he said all Fashola does is to plant flowers

'progressive' punishment

Fashola is working. Tinubu the emancipator, APC showing us how democracy works

bloggernaija: Ok two classes were merged together for a class,
And there was not enough furniture in the temporarily enlarged class to go round.

Am waiting this post to hit front page before i ll reply you.
The same treatment meted on the woman that ran the orphanage near the Lagos deputy governor’s home. A child in the orphanage was interviewed, the child told reporters that they are hungry, and that the deputy governor who happens to be their immediate neighbor should help. The next day the orphanage was closed down and the owner was accused of so many things including child trafficking. APC style. Don’t let your mama know.

Why am I not Surprised??

I can't hear all these pple saying that punch is a pro apc paper o! They are not saying it is a pro SW paper o!
When they bring out their report against oduah or any other igbo high ranking officials, PUNCH all of a sudden become liars. How come all these pple quoting punch now have not doubted the story one bit? If it is oduah now, punch na SW paper!
Hypocrites on the prowl!

Instead of the gov to resign, was it d precipal's fault?

Military government in democratic cover!

LOL... Students sit on windows?! WTF?!!!!

Fashola is testing our our loyalty too much.

1wolex85: I can't hear all this pple saying that punch is a pro apc paper o! They are not saying it is a pro SW paper o!
When they bring out their report against oduah or any other igbo high ranking officials, PUNCH all of a sudden become liars. How come all these pple quoting punch now have not doubted the story one bit? If it is oduah now, punch na SW paper!
Hypocrites on the prowl!

Forget about PUNCH credibility for now, deal with this; Lagos Suspends Principal
Of School Where Pupils Sit
On Windows

This is another good example of good investigative journalism. Similar to the police college saga… It is a shame that Nigerian politicians never learn from history.

SAN Femi Falana over to you…this case happened in your backyard.

injustice everywhere!!!! abuse of power, I pity da woman

Later Nigerians will start getting angry when someone from another country speaks the truth 'bout them. Can that happen in a sane country? In a sane country, people in charge of maintenance and co will be losing their jobs now with several others investigated for money laudering. Nigerian democracy is just one big joke!

1wolex85: I can't hear all this pple saying that punch is a pro apc paper o! They are not saying it is a pro SW paper o!
When they bring out their report against oduah or any other igbo high ranking officials, PUNCH all of a sudden become liars. How come all these pple quoting punch now have not doubted the story one bit? If it is oduah now, punch na SW paper!
Hypocrites on the prowl!

Abeg, Sharrap tha, my frnd. This is what is called 'Expection that Proofs the Rule'. Nothing more, nothing less.... Of course Punch has been bought; but you don't expect them to be Stupid, do you?

A wonderful daily devotional for you www.gospelshower..com

gratiaeo:
Forget about PUNCH credibility for now, deal with this; Lagos Suspends Principal
Of School Where Pupils Sit
On Windows

Nna, treat both @ d same time

God, why are these people mean, wicked and contemptuous?............was d principal supposed to raise money for d chairs herself when no principal dares ask for PTA levy

That was craziness.

Why removing a principal while Lagos government is at fault by failed in their responsibility?

This is uncalled for, wrong move by LASG.

bloggernaija: Ok two classes were merged together for a class,
And there was not enough furniture in the temporarily enlarged class to go round.

There should be bigger class/hall to handle such lecture.

If the above info is truez...den d devil i know is beta dan d angel i dnt knw!