LAGOS: The management of the Federal Government College, Ijanikin, Lagos State has suspended three students of the school indefinitely because their parents dared to write a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over the manner some funds were managed by the Parents Teacher Association, PTA, of the school.
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.
“When the PTA chairman presented the financial report, some of us raised question about how some funds were spent. For instance, the salary of PTA teachers was said to have increased to N23 million from less than N15m the previous year. That is when no new teacher was employed and no salary increment was done for the teachers.
“In fact, there were a lot of discrepancies in the records. They also said they spent over N1m as 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 eyebrow about the spendings and they refused to accept and adopt that report.
“Surprisingly, those of us that raised concerns about how the funds were being spent, were removed from the Telegram group that parents, the principal and even some teachers belong.
“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, ” she explained.
Another parent, Pius Sodje, a lawyer, said his child barely escaped being prevented from sitting for last year’s WAEC and NECO examinations.
“At the AGM, the leadership of the PTA just 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 class by students. This is not necessary, we pay N500 per child per term for prep classes. I asked for explanation, but none was given,” he alleged.
The Chairman of the PTA, Comrade Shola Tokede, who also appeared on the programme, faulted the claims by the other parents.
“The problem started from the time we had 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 be against.
“They raised some issues, but the majority of members accepted the report we presented and the motion to adopt it was moved and supported accordingly.
“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,” he said.
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.”
Another parent, Douglas Damoor, explained that it was another parent that went to court over another issue.
“We did not go to court, another parent did concerning another matter. We only went to the EFCC and that was because nothing was done and no explanation given regarding the alleged financial infractions. Also, we were not aware of the said memo. It was just recently that was brought to our notice. My own take is that innocent students should not be made to suffer, ” he said.
When our correspondent visited the school on Friday, no teacher was willing to speak on the matter, saying they are just civil servants and that the FME 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.
