The Ondo State government says it has become an offence for any teacher in its public schools to enroll their children in private schools. 

The rule was handed down by Victor Olabimtan, the chairman of the state’s universal basic education board (SUBEB), according to a statement by Bisi Agboola, the board’s spokesperson. 

“The SUBEB chairman condemned in strong terms the attitude of some teachers taking their biological children to private schools and ruled that it has become an offence for any public school teachers to take their wards to private schools,” Mr Agboola said in the statement. 

Ondo has over 100 public primary schools scattered across the eighteen local government areas of the state. Many of the schools are in deplorable conditions, and lacking basic amenities.

Speaking with head teachers of public primary schools, Mr Olabimtan frowned at the drop in pupils’ enrollment across the state. 

He said the government was worried over the rate of student dropout despite its huge investment in primary education across the state. 

According to the statement, “Hon Olabimtan noted that the teachers will henceforth be held responsible for any drop in schools’ enrolment.”

“Olabimtan said the Ondo state government will not relent in its efforts at upgrading school standards as well as its personnel.

“He called on the Education Secretary in the 18 Local government areas not to hesitate at reporting any teacher found wanting in their duty post for possible sanction.

“The chairman, therefore, charged the teachers to buckle up and do the needful in the area of enrollment drive and shun any act of indolence.”

The statement further added that the state government has approved that serving primary school teachers can now reach Level-16 status like their counterparts in the civil service.

It added that “teachers can be considered for the position of permanent secretary when such a vacancy is opened.”

Also, promotion letters were distributed to 2,111 teachers of which about 85 are of grade level-16.