The fourth student escaped the axe because he passed out of
the school before the punitive action was taken.
According to some of the parents, who appeared on a
television programme monitored on Television Continental, TVC, Lagos, their
call for the PTA to explain how about N23 million was spent by the association
led to them being tagged rebels and marked for punishment with their children
being at the receiving end.
Mrs. Falilat Oluwashogbon, whose child was suspended with
two others, said the problem started in 2022 when the association held its
Annual General Meeting, AGM.
Oluwashogbon said: “When the PTA chairman presented the
financial report, some of us raised questions about how some funds were spent.
For instance, the salary of PTA teachers was said to have increased to N23
million from less than N15 million the previous year. That is when no new
teacher was employed and no salary increment was done for the teachers.
“There were a lot of discrepancies in the records. They also
said they spent over N1m as a sitting allowance for PTA exco. They also said
they spent N1 million on sports when each student pays N1,000 per term for
sporting activities. The situation led to some parents raising eyebrows about
the spending and they refused to accept and adopt that report.
“Surprisingly, those of us who raised concerns about how the
funds were being spent were removed from the Telegram group that parents, the
principal and even some teachers belong to. The portals of our children, who
are the students there, were blocked. When we waited for some months and
nothing was done to redress the situation, we petitioned the EFCC.”
Another parent, Pius Sodje, a lawyer, said his child barely
escaped being prevented from sitting for last year’s WAEC and NECO
examinations.
Sodje said: “At the AGM, the leadership of the PTA threw a
figure at us as what they spent and which they wanted us to adopt. We said no.
Apart from some of the things that Mrs Olushogbon mentioned, they said they
spent millions of naira on preparatory classes by students. This is not
necessary; we pay N500 per child per term for prep classes. I asked for an
explanation, but none was given.”
The Chairman of the PTA, Mr Shola Tokede, who also appeared
on the programme, faulted the claims by the other parents.
Tokede said: “The problem started from the time we had an
election in 2021 for a new exco of the PTA. Some of those levelling these
spurious allegations lost out then. Mrs Olushogbon wanted to contest the
chairmanship of the body but was disqualified because she didn’t meet the set
criteria. In a setting like that, it is not everybody that will be in support
or against it.
“As for the allegation that the PTA mismanaged over N80
million, only the accusers know where they got that figure from. We didn’t
mismanage anything. All the expenses and the incomes were duly accounted for.”
Asked what he has done or is doing to defend the rights of
students suspended for not committing any offence, Tokede said it was based on
the regulations laid down by the Federal Ministry of Education.
“I am not the one running the school and I am also not the
owner, there is a memo from the Federal Ministry of Education that any parent
who goes to court over any issue relating to their children’s schools would
have their children suspended until the matter is withdrawn or settled in the
court.”
Teachers, mgt keep mum
When our correspondent visited the school on Friday, no
teacher was willing to speak on the matter, saying they were just civil
servants and that the Federal Ministry of Education is looking into it.
A man, who simply described himself as the Public Relations
Officer of the PTA, said the association would soon come out with its position
on the matter.