The Ogun State Ministry of Education has dismissed six civil servants from its workforce for setting ‘offensive examination question.’
The affected workers were officials of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology which included two directors on Grade Level 17, Mrs. Folashade Oresegun (Director, Education Support Services) and Deacon Rotimi Ganiyu Odunsi (Director, Curriculum Development and Evaluation).
Others are Mr. Oluwole Majekodunmi (Deputy Director, Curriculum Development and Evaluation on Grade Level 16), Mr. E.O Asegbe (Desk Officer) Grade Level 10; Damilola Taylor (Proof Reader) on Grade Level 8 and a secondary school teacher, Mr.Joel Adegbenro, who set the English Language question.
The two directors were asked to proceed on compulsory retirement while others were dismissed from service after they had appeared before a panel set up at the Bureau of Establishment and Training.
Ir was gathered that Section C of the English Language examination question, which was ‘Summary’ conducted by the ministry for Senior Secondary School one students in the Unified Examination for the 2014/2015 academic session portrayed the state government in bad light in the area of education.
The said Section C partly reads, “There is no arguing about the fact that the government is merely paying lip service to the development of education. It is true that a lot of money is being spent on the education sector but with little or no impact felt by the people, except where we want to deceive ourselves.
“Many schools run by the government, which were formerly known for academic excellence, have suddenly lost their prestige and are living on past glories. No wonder, many parents and guardians are threateningly left with only one option but to withdraw their wards from these schools to other ones that are better managed.
“The evidences to show that the government is not doing enough to assist in the development of education are many. Even pupils in both primary and secondary schools can volunteer a good list on their finger tips.
“One of the numerous indications is the government’s inability to pay running cost to schools. The running cost is the token amount per pupil paid to school administrators ro run the affairs of the school in a term. This has been neglected to pile up for several academic sessions.
“Another one is the regular poor conduct of terminal examinations. These examinations are not usually conducted as at when due. The government may have one excuse or the other, but real educationists know that appropriate timing is a strong factor in the process of Continuous Assessment (CA) of students. Thus, a situation where, for instance, the first term examination is shifted to second term is an outright departure from the norms and ethics of Continuous Assessment.
“In addition to the above facts is the idea of not issuing dossiers, a paper report of the student’s academic endeavours within the term, to the students in time.
“In fact, if one begins to mention the issue of unpaid salaries and allowances to teachers, one may be seen as speaking on behalf of these teachers to discredit the government. Yet, not in the least is the issue of the neglect of school facilities which are now in sorry and dilapidated state.”
The summary was said to have been “culled from Jola Adegbenro’s Issues on Education Today.”