29th January, 2020.

Press release.


Publish ghost schools in Kwara and make the guilty ones the scapegoats, group charges Governor Abdulrahman.


We read the shocking news on the blacklisted list of both Public and private secondary schools in Kwara State by the Board of West African Examination Council (WAEC) on the alleged act of promoting examination malpractice. We consider this to be a stain to the educational image of Kwara State and humbly believe that all the stakeholders in the education sector must be ready to take their fair share of the blame.

You will also recall that a statement was allegedly credited to an investigation committee set up by the Governor of Kwara State which revealed that there are some ghost schools who are operating in the Kwara State. On our part as *The People's Voice Advocacy Network* strived hard by persuading the committee and specifically the state government to make it public, the so called list of the acclaimed ghost schools as boldly captured as the Covered page of *The Herald* dated (July, 28, 2019), the rest has now become a buried story. It's unfortunate that neither an individual nor institution was used as scapegoat in order to halt a repeat of such illegality as the report of the investigation Committee could have possibly, by now, becomes a feast for the ants and rodents.

This group is however sending an urgent wake up call to the Honourable Commissioner for Education and other relevant stakeholders, especially the Governor of the state to urgently Declare a state of emergency in the education sector in view of the recent events so as to fumigate the sector against further attack while also cleansing it against further stains.

We have courageously noticed that the 'carrot approach' has done little good, therefore this is the right time to explore the 'stick approach' before it completely gets out of hands. Just like those who have soiled our good educational reputation be made to face the music.

We however wish to commend the Kwara State government for the payment of the fines leveled on the blacklisted schools as its responsibility despite some being private institutions. Thus, there is need for the Government to put more corrective measures in place that will help in securing a better quality education in Kwara State that devoids of lip services. It is also worthy to note that the service delivery culture of the teachers on the field need to be reinforced with holistic evaluation of their services with attendant motivations on a periodic basis. similarly, the welfare package for the Teachers across board must also be part Of the immediate action of the Kwara State Government.

On the same note, quite a number of our schools are below the average Acceptable standard in the areas of both Vocational, Arts and Sciences. Hence, the need for equipment/ apparatus, training, retraining and updated textbooks so as to try prepare for a better grades in their external examination is a necessity especially at this messy time. When the personnel service is at is lowest heb.

Signed:

Comrade Abdulraheem Olaitan
Assistant Publicity Secretary,
The People's Voice Advocacy Network