Lagos State Governor, Bababjide Sanwo-Olu, has directed the State Ministry of Education to investigate complaint of a parent whose child was sent out of school for using the poster of one of the contestants in the last election to wrap his books.
A Junior Secondary School, JSS, student of Odomola Secondary School, Miss Marvellous Barinaadaa, and her parents got more than they expected, Wednesday, when the girl was sent home by the school principal for allegedly wrapping her books with the poster of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr. Peter Obi.
The Commissioner for Education, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo, who announced the measure on Thursday, said the governor has approved the recall of the principal, who will be asked to explain the incident.
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“The Lagos State Government, the Ministry of Education and all its agencies will never instruct any school principal, personnel or teacher to act in such a manner,” Adefisayo stated.
The commissioner reassured the public that “the matter would be dealt with within the scope of our strict regulations as the reason for sending home the student is unacceptable – if true.’’
Adefisayo, also stated that another school principal at Odonguyan who was caught on camera, as shared on social media, promoting her political choice to the students has been subjected to appropriate disciplinary measures.
“The Ministry promotes and runs a public school system devoid of politics and political insinuations.
“A thorough investigation of the matter will be carried out and anyone found culpable will be subjected to disciplinary measures as laid down in the civil service rules,” Adefisayo stated.
Recall that a video has gone viral on social media where a displayed slip was posted showing the sanction by the principal of the school.
The distraught mother of the teenager, who took to social media to lament the situation, appealed to Nigerians to come to the family’s rescue, saying the girl was apolitical and just 10 years old.
Part of the message sent to the student reads: “This is to inform you all that my daughter, Marvelous Barinaadaa, was exited from Odomola Secondary School on March 14, 2023, by the School Principal, just because she used Peter Obi’s poster to wrap her notebook. And this girl is just 10 years old.
“She doesn’t know anything about politics, but she was sent away from school without informing the parents, because they say we support Peter Obi and Labour Party. Please, is this act by the School’s principal good? See what the school principal wrote in that letter. And after we will say we are one Nigeria.”
The woman further alleged that the family had suffered a lot because of their perceived support for Obi.
