Oshiomhole dismisses 20 teachers for absenteeism

TWENTY teachers of three schools who were absent from their duty posts when the Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole paid an unscheduled visit to the schools, yesterday, have been dismissed.

Comrade Oshiomhole who disclosed this during an unscheduled visit to Asoro Primary School, Emokpae Model Primary School, Western Boys High School, George Idah Model School and Esonere Primary School in Benin City also ordered deductions from the salaries of some teachers who got to their schools after the 8:00am resumption time.

The Governor who frowned at the lackadaisical attitude of some teachers to work said “the state government has provided suitable environment in the schools, the teachers are paid good wages and inducement allowances. These beautiful classrooms are useless if teachers don’t teach the students.”

The governor who was at the Asoro Primary School by 7:45am went through the teachers’ attendance register and discovered that names of teachers who were not present in school were signed in. He then directed that adequate punishment be meted out to those who filled in the names of the absent teachers.

“Any time a teacher does not show up in school, the students will be wasting their time. The head mistress will also be queried because she has the responsibility to explain to me why people are allowed to sign fraudulently on the register when they are not present,” he noted.

Comrade Oshiomhole queried the long stay of some teachers in a particular school before being posted out to other schools, directing the State Universal Basic Education Board to ensure fairness and transparency in the transfer of teachers.

At the Western Boys High School, the governor condemned the dress code of some teachers, noting “teachers should be role models in their dressing by being properly dressed. I am here to look at this school to see what we can do to make it more comfortable.

“I am not happy with some teachers who are not punctual and are in the habit of not coming to work. The government will take disciplinary action against them,” he added.

According to the governor, Edo State Government has the responsibility to protect the future of the children with quality education and improvement of the environment and he urged the teachers to complement that effort.

In his words, “those teachers who are absent from school will be dismissed because we cannot continue to pay them. We will employ those ready to work to earn their wages, while those who are late will forfeit part of their pay.

The Governor was also at the Emokpae Model Primary School, George Idah model primary School and Esonere Primary School where he commended the teachers for been punctual and assured that the state government will restore integrity to public schools to make them compete with the private schools.

Seven Senior Secondary School teachers were absent at Western Boys High School when the governor visited while five Junior Secondary School teachers of the same school were not on their duty posts.

At Asoro Primary School, seven teachers were absent from work while one teacher was absent from work at Emokpae Model Primary School.

However, all the teachers at George Idah Model Primary School and Esonere Model Primary School were on their duty post and were also punctual according to the times signed in on the teachers’ register.

Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, Sir Joseph Emabino and other members of the board were in the Governor’s entourage for the inspection.