By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Oyo State Government has expressed its displeasure over the low turnout of pupils/students in schools on Monday for the start of the second term of the 2021\2022 academic session.
The state government had directed public schools across the state to resume today after the first term holiday to celebrate Christmas and New Year.
Speaking during an inspection of resumption in primary schools in Ibadan metropolis on Monday, the Executive Chairman of the Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (Oyo SUBEB), Dr Nureni Aderemi Adeniran, said he was not impressed with the turnout of pupils to the schools visited.
The SUBEB chief, who visited some schools in Ido, Ibadan North, Ibadan South-West, Ibadan North-West Local Government Areas of Ibadan, alongside a team from the board, observed that while some public schools in the axis had teachers on the ground, many pupils were yet to resume for school activities.
“There are some schools where we didn’t meet a substantial number of students in classes. We are using this opportunity to appeal to parents to release their children and wards to resume for normal activities, which has commenced,” he said.
Mr Adeniran said the Oyo State government’s policy is that headteachers and teachers must hold pre-resumption meetings before the commencement of academic activities.
He, therefore, frowned at some schools holding such meetings during school hours, to the detriment of the pupils in classrooms.
The Oyo SUBEB boss sternly warned school headteachers to desist from such acts, urging them to monitor the activities of teachers and pupils in their various schools.
The Chairman further urged heads of public schools to commence academic activities immediately and ensure all COVID-19 prevention protocols are adhered to in schools.
He opined that early commencement of academic activities would enable schools in the state to cover the syllabus, adding that it would help with quality and standard learning outcomes.
“Henceforth, teachers should enforce compliance to all COVID-19 protocols. They should use nose-masks and provide water and soap,” he said.