[b]Although President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration has kept millions of children at home to allow for voter registration in schools, the president’s two children and those of other affluent citizens are attending school uninterrupted. The elite school these children attend, the American International School, Abuja, is in full session. The Federal Ministry of Education had on January 6, ordered all schools to postpone their resumption date until February 4. The American International School, Abuja - which counts among its pupils and students children of prominent senators, ministers, governors, and even the president - resumed on January 10 and has remained open ever since, running a normal school programme.

A reliable source at the school, who would like to remain unnamed, confirmed to NEXT that the school, which runs an American system of education, is attended by the children of high-ranking government officials and politicians, many of whom are active members of its Parent-Teacher Association.

According to the source, who is a staff member of the school, “This is an American school but I don’t think it is enough reason for them to disobey [a] government order. I see it as an embarrassment. Maybe it is because all the teachers are foreign and they are sure that the school will not be used for voter registration.

“The school fees range from between N600,000 to N4 million, and no parent will pay that much and see their children at home during [a] normal school session for any reason. National Assembly members, ministers and even the president’s children are here. The two of the president’s children are in primary school in this school.”

Business as usual

When NEXT visited the school last Friday, students were seen playing on the school’s playground. Yesterday afternoon, parents and guardians were seen driving in to pick up their children and wards after a full day of school activities. The school’s gates, which are usually shut with to-and-fro traffic closely monitored during school hours, were wide open.

Efforts to get a response from school authorities on why the government’s directive had been ignored did not yield any results.

Amy Uzoewulu, the school’s director, in an email response to NEXT, said: “We are not authorised to communicate with the press unless we have approval from the president of the board of governors.”

When NEXT asked her to pass the message to the president of the board, she promised to do so but then replied with another email, directing us to send our enquiry to the American Embassy in Abuja, revealing a hitherto unknown formal link to the American Embassy. The school is a private institution, and it is not clear if the American government is a shareholder in the enterprise, but Ms. Uzoewulu was clear in her response.

“Please forward your inquiry to Peter Claussen, Public Affairs, U.S. Embassy Abuja,” she wrote.

At press time, Mr. Claussen had not responsed to the email enquiry NEXT sent to him.

Voting centres

The federal government had announced that all primary and secondary schools in the country would be closed for over three weeks between January 7, 2011 and February 4, 2011 to allow for a more efficient voter’s registration exercise in the country.

It was revealed, however, that a number of private schools have successfully pressurised the government to allow them to open on Tuesday, January 18. It does not appear that a similar concession has been made for state-run schools. Investigations by NEXT showed that public school students were still earmarking January 31 for a return to school.

INEC’s decision

Kenneth Gbagi, minister of state for education, had stated that the original directive was to all public and private schools in Nigeria, adding that the move was initiated by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

“We acceded to the request of INEC,” he said. “INEC actually wrote a letter to us requesting that we shift the resumption date from 7th of January to 4th of February.”

The schools, he said, would be closed because many schools would be used as registration centres nationwide.

“We don’t want interference of our children with visitors in that critical period. You know the government and people of this country place a lot of premium on the issue of election and everything will be done to make sure we do not have excuse for Nigerians regarding that election. As a result, we have directed that all schools within the country, both private and public, remain closed. Resumption date will now be in February 2011,” he said.

Sanctions

Spokesperson for the ministry of education, Peter Obidiegwu, in a telephone interview, said that any school that disobeyed the resumption date directive was doing so at its own risk.

“That some are in session brings to light the fact that they have no regard for the law,” he said. “It doesn’t speak well of them as a diplomatic entity.”

Further investigations revealed that when another private school in Abuja, Regent Schools in Maitama, attempted to reopen on Monday, there was a swift directive from the ministry of education to the school to close or risk having its licence withdrawn.

However, one week after flouting the government’s order, it appears that no similar action has been taken against the American International School, Abuja.[/b]

source: 234 NEXT
http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5664107-146/story.csp

just vote 4 him,maybe things will change hopefully come  year 2004. . .

I'M TIRED OF THESE THINGS.
HOW CAN I BE FORCED TO KEEP MY LITTLE BABY OUT OF SCHOOL FOR HALF OF THE TERM BY A PRESIDENT WHO CLAIMED TO BE FROM A HUMBLE BACKGROUND WHO WORE NO SHOES TO SCHOOL?

philip0906:

just vote 4 him,maybe things will change hopefully come  year 2004. . .

2004? THAT YEAR HAS PAST.

Are you saying the GEJ who many people adore as "GOD-SENT" has expired?

Nobody should be above the law.

Well, I guess it is better 2 keep students @ home 4 now. It is better for the students 2 stay at home rather than face d unknown that usually goes with voters' registration.

Take for example, there was political violence in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital yesterday, if such a thing happens in a primary or secondary where d voters' reg is taking place, tell me what will happen 2 d students in there.

As far as I'm concerned any school that feels they can guarantee d safety of their students can go ahead and resume. Here in Ogun State, the state Govt ordered all schools 2 resume, yet some have not. Most of d public schools around me are scanty, all u see are d Teachers and a very few students (like 2 per cent of d entire population).

So, don't let us risk the lives of our children, whatever they lose within now and next month will not stop them from becoming what they are destined 2 become in life. They might even have a better future than those in skool. May we not lose are children ooo.

^
Exactly! 3 people died at a school yesterday, and some people here are talking about their non-existent "little babies" not having the same opportunity.

They expect his kids to stay at home?

Get rich or die trying

enyojo:

2004? THAT YEAR HAS PAST.

Are you saying the GEJ who many people adore as "GOD-SENT" has expired?

stop forcing words out of my mouth  

Beaf:

^
Exactly! 3 people died at a school yesterday, and some people here are talking about their non-existent "little babies" not having the same opportunity.

keep swaping ur usernames. . .very unintelligent

Beaf:

^
Exactly! 3 people died at a school yesterday, and some people here are talking about their non-existent "little babies" not having the same opportunity.

According to this logic we might as well keep at home till after the elections in April.

@enyojo


Please change the title to 'Goodluck Jonathan's Kids Are In School, while Mine are at Home!'


it is incorrect English to say 'Goodluck Jonathan's Kids Are In School Mine Is At Home!'

blacksta:

According to this logic we might as well keep at home till after the elections in April.

"We?" Posting from the safety of far off East London as "we?"
Abeg, make pesin hear word jare! "We" my foot!

Nigerians value the safety of their kids. At dangerous times they will be kept at home; during the elections in April, they will surely not be in school.

Beaf:

"We?" Posting from the safety of far off East London as "we?"
Abeg, make pesin hear word jare! "We" my foot!

Nigerians value the safety of their kids. At dangerous times they will be kept at home; during the elections in April, they will surely not be in school.

Lol

I have family who are supposed to be at school.

Well said, but let's think about our lives here, like it or not our lives are more precious than Education. Dying untimely means dying without fulfilling God's plans and purpose 4 one's life in respective of our level of Education.

D Fed, State Govt and my school authority wasted 2 of my years in d university due 2 strike and other things, yet I thank God for my life right now. There was a time my parents forced me 2 come home, some of my colleagues who stayed in school lost their lives,while some are now handicap.

As for me, my loved ones will remain @ home any time we sense danger. Heaven helps those who help themselves.

Oh, thinking the voters' reg and election will be violence free? Please wake up free that dream.

Nigerians will surely find a way to explain this.

That Nigeria is just one big mad house.

" As a result, we have directed that all schools within the country, both private and public, remain closed. Resumption date will now be in February 2011,” he said."

What is good for the goose is good for the gander. They should be prosecuted.

GEJ is same of the same, NO RESPECT FOR THE LAWS OF THE LAND.

If u can send ur children to American Int. School. If not , just Obey what uve asked to do Let ur children stay at home. Some Private Catholic schools are in session cos all d students stays in d School hostel. so its nt just American Int sch, so many other schools are in session. Meanwhile, dis is 4 d good of Nigerians, if dis children are allowed to go to school, the can be kidnapped or smting bad might happen to the. So which is better? ur children staying at home Or Losing ur children

Chase the Hooligans-in-Power (HiPs) out and vote in better candidates.

Remember to RSVP -

Register;
Select and sponsor(your candidates);
Vote;
Protect your votes;

Let this be our motto for this election period.
Copy and text the motto to as many as possible on your GSM (and/or email) and several times during the voter registration period.
One Man, One Vote!!!

why are we sounding or looking surprised??

Did you expect GEJ's kids to be attending one weye private sch

Well, its only draws on us to VOTE out these clowns that pretend to be in support of the poor masses!!!!!

If thet are so serious abt the saftey of our kids; why would they ask my kids that attend even private schools that would not be involved in the Registration excercise to stay at home??

All that matter now is how the schools will be re-open immediately NOT Gej kids are in America School blabla that does not interest me because I would not expect him to put his kids in Kuje primary or Wuse primary school, sorry am not expecting that, all I want is to let the school be re-open and let these kids go back to class. Because bothering my head with his kids or the elite kids going to such school or beign in the school is like wasting my precious time. Let the one that was closed because or voter registration be re-open please.

Let us be sincere with our self, don't let us be overshadow by a name. How the president order my kids to stay at home while his kids are in school. are they using Private schools for registration? I believe in Lead by example small time Now He will claim that his kids are Schooling Nigeria (private School). If any contestant want to use their kids to brag then they should tell us the name of the public schools (Primary, secondary and tertiary institution) where their kids are and/or they should tell us which civil service is their kids working.

i am disappointed   >>> maybe i should reconsider my stance & vote for Ribadu >>>

Nigeria house of commotion

Uyi Iredia:

i am disappointed >>> maybe i should reconsider my stance & vote for Ribadu >>>

The 2 weeks vacation is not going to kill the system and we are not loosing anything from it.