₦airaland Forum

A rights group, Edo State Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights, has condemned the State Ministry of Education for allegedly compelling teachers in the public schools to cut grasses and engage in menial labour.

DAILY POST reports condemned the development in a statement made available to newsmen on Monday, September 1, 2025 in Benin City.

The statement was signed by Marxist Kola Edokpayi and Comrade Aghatise Raphael, Coordinator General and Secretary General of the group, respectively.

The group noted that the teachers were not employed as gardeners, cleaners and janitors.

Stressing that teachers must never be forced into degrading labour, the group threatened to embark on protests and take legal action if the state government fails to stop the development.

The group insisted that the action of the government is not only an insult to the teaching profession, but also a blatant violation of human rights and labour ethics.

The group suggested that the government should employ support staff, gardeners, cleaners and janitors that must be paid adequately to handle school maintenance.

“The Edo State Civil Society Coalition For Human Rights is outraged by the disgraceful and demeaning practice of compelling teachers in Edo public schools to cut grass and perform menial labour at the directive of the Ministry of Education.

“This is not only an insult to the teaching profession but also a blatant violation of human rights and labour ethics.

“Teachers are the backbone of society and nation-builders entrusted with shaping the minds of our children. Reducing them to gardeners and cleaners is a shameful act of abuse and a slap in the face of every hardworking educator in Edo State.

“We state clearly that teachers are not slaves, and schools are not forced labour camps. This backward practice belongs to the dark past and must never be tolerated in a state that claims to value education.

“Any nation that treats its teachers with contempt is preparing its own burial ground. Forcing teachers into menial labour is not education reform, it is educational slavery.

“It is worth stressing that this practice violates Section 34 (1)(c) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which guarantees that “no person shall be required to perform forced or compulsory labour.

“By compelling teachers to engage in work outside their professional mandate under duress, the Edo State Ministry of Education stands in direct breach of this constitutional safeguard.

“Adding weight to our demands, we extract these quotes from the State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, where, he said, “we will place teachers on top priority, and we’ll reverse the shortage of teachers through continuous recruitment of qualified teachers.

“To work is to pray, but we insisted that the sacred work of a teacher is to teach, not to clear bushes. Forcing them otherwise is against the law and will not be tolerated.

“An injury to one teacher is an injury to all. Edo State must respect its teachers or face the resistance of its people,” the statement said.

The group also urged the state government to be accountable by ensuring that funds allocated for school maintenance are used transparently and not shifted as a burden onto teachers.

Reacting, the State Commissioner for Education, Dr Paddy Iyamu, said information at the ministry’s disposal suggested that the menial jobs was a voluntary Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, from some teachers.

The commissioner’s reaction was contained in a statement titled, ‘To Stakeholders in the Education Ecosystem: RE: Edo Civil Society raises concern over teachers in some schools being asked to do menial maintenance jobs’.

Iyamu disclosed that a full scale investigation into the issue has been ordered, assuring that the government would get to the root of the matter and correct any abnormality in whatever form.

“The attention of the Edo State Ministry of Education has been drawn to a publication by a civil society group alleging that teachers are being told to cut grass and engage in menial jobs to maintain their respective schools on the directive of the Ministry.

“While stating that the Edo State Government remains resolute in upholding the rights and privileges of all, we also encourage our teachers to remain strong and focused on academic excellence as the future of our country depends on them.

“Teachers’ priority is transfer of learning, so we want to discourage in very strong terms teachers forcibly engaging in or being used to engage in tasks that do not directly correlate with strengthening knowledge gap and learning outcomes.

“We also want to implore the public to be conscious of those who may be trying to smear the name of the ministry due to the current reforms aimed at putting a stop to unwholesome benefits to a few to protect the common man and the children from humble beginning.

“The Senator Monday Okpebholo administration is fully committed to ensuring that every Edo child gets the best in education and every Edo teacher becomes proud of being an Edo Teacher as seen in the increment of their minimum wage, regularisation of casual teachers to be full staff after three years, building of teachers quarters in some schools, training and retraining of teachers and lots more,” the commissioner added.

Source: https://dailypost.ng/2025/09/01/edo-govt-under-fire-for-allegedly-forcing-teachers-to-cut-grass/

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There is dignity in labour, they should apply for overtime so they will be paid
And also don't forget party rally at the Samuel ogbemudia stadium to sing on your mandate

Agbádorianss collecting back to back without ceasing. E go reach everybody ai

Lol.....

Dem suppose flog them as them dey cut the grass.

A people who sell their votes for penury deserve all the humiliation.

I remember Rehoboam in the Bible and the Israelis

This used to be part of resumption activities public school students take partake in the first week of resumption. If students can't do it, hire labourers! This is totally wrong

Which kind nonsense be this? People taking too many shit in their work place... For how much self?

What do you expect when you vote in an illiterate as the state manager or gov?

This is wrong on all fronts. Are they labourers? Very disgusting

[quote author= post=136656796]Source: https://dailypost.ng/2025/09/01/edo-govt-under-fire-for-allegedly-forcing-teachers-to-cut-grass/[/quote]When the head is rotten....
I have said enuf. Enuf said.

Like seriously? What kind of embarrassment is this?

That serves them right. Next time they won't vote someone like Monday again

I no fit laugh abeg, and the teachers bend down dey cut grass.

dominique:
This used to be part of resumption activities students take partake in the first week of resumption.

Before the emergence of PRIVATE SCHOOLS
No dodging for public schools then, and it was fun things.

Jokerman:
Lol.....

Dem suppose flog them as them dey cut the grass.

A people who sell their votes for penury deserve all the humiliation.

I remember Rehoboam in the Bible and the Israelis

Did the teachers sell their votes or are you throwing your toys out of the pram because your candidate didn't win. It's called democracy, somebody wins and somebody loses. All this vituperations because of a losing candidate that would have disappointed you anyway if they won.
Democracy is about respecting people's choices and ideological bent. Grow up mate.

Why can't the government buy and supply machines for cutting grass to all schools?

When you guys allowed illiterates to become governors & senators, what did you think would happen?

Una go learn

God bless APC. They are doing well. Please don't use laborers

Like its a course to be a teacher?

From all perspective, is there any respect for these people called teachers? Both Private and public

With the small salary full of disrespect from school owners, parents and students....

It's high time everyone called teachers dropped their tools and look somewhere else.... At least, let the respect germinates over time again.

What do you expect from the governor who didn't go to school? He doesn't know the worth and importance of teachers because he didn't benefit anything from them.
What a pity.

i tell una this dullard Edo Governor and him administration
just dey show us abnormal decision every time

This is good.
Edo will never be strewn with grasses again.
For the teachers, their labour shall not be in vain.
For the grass-cutter labourers, they shall smile home with gain.

Keep your environment clean, students do fatigue, nothing wrong of teachers do same. Social media stinks in this country. Every thing is now for the glam

[quote author= post=136656796]Source: https://dailypost.ng/2025/09/01/edo-govt-under-fire-for-allegedly-forcing-teachers-to-cut-grass/[/quote]Please who is the governor of the state? Can we see his WAEC result?? With all the allocation going to the state, why they can't pay labourers?

This country just churns out bad news everyday

Can you just imagine! Subjecting teachers to this level of humiliation is nothing but evil!

Anyway, what else do you expect when someone with poor educational background is selected to govern the state? Only in Nigeria do the intelligentsia get sidelined while the stark illiterates are elected into leadership positions.

Nigeria is gone, honestly!

Jman06:
Can you just imagine! Subjecting teachers to this level of humiliation is nothing but evil!

Anyway, what else do you expect when someone with poor educational background is selected to govern the state? Only in Nigeria do the intelligentsia get sidelined while the stark illiterates are elected into leadership positions.

Nigeria is gone, honestly!

You are very correct. The people should be mindful of who they support as their leaders. If you vote in someone that is not educated,when he comes in,he would ridicule education. This is absolute ridicule.

A state with an illiterate for a governor what else do they expect?