Ogun secondary school teachers protest
By Olorunfemi Ojo
Secondary school teachers in Ogun State on Thursday staged a peaceful protest to the office of the Chairman of the state Teaching Service Commission at Oke Mosan, Abeokuta.
Mr Tunde Folarin, President of Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools in the state who led the protest accused the state government of reneging on the agreements earlier reached with them only to evolve what they described as “obnoxious career progression and adjustment” policy.
The protesting teachers, who held staff of TESCOM hostage for hours, also noted that it was retrogressive for those teachers who had National Certificate of Education at entry point, but had acquired higher degrees, to forfeit nine years of their service years.
The teachers were also of the opinion that the policy introduced by the state government has given opportunities for majority of their juniors in schools and service to become principals at their respective schools, stressing that such development was demoralising.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mrs. Olabisi Akinnuga while addressing the protesting teachers, appealed to them to exercise patience over their demands since the TESCOM chairman, Ms. Bukola Onabanjo, was not available, whom she said only signed the letter informing the agitating teachers that they would only forfeit six years and not nine years as they said.
At the governor’s office, Secretary to the State Government, Barrister Adeolu Taiwo pleaded with the protesting teachers to exercise patience that, the state government would be meeting with their leadership on the matter next week.