By Rukayat Adeyemi
Lagos – The Mosan-Okunola Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Lagos State on Friday refuted allegation of deploying non-teaching staff to classrooms in some primary schools in the area.
Mr Rotimi Ogunwuyi, the Sole Administrator of the LCDA, refuted the allegation during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
Ogunwuyi said that the allegation, being peddled by people that non-teaching staff were being deployed to classrooms in public schools in the state, was a figment of their imagination.
NAN reports that some parents have expressed concern that non-teaching staff were being deployed in classrooms in Lagos public primary schools due to shortage of teachers.
Ogunwuyi said that he overheard the rumour when he came on board as the council head.
“But when I checked, I found out that there was no shortage of teachers in primary schools in the LCDA.
“It may be difficult to ascertain the speculation because the council is not responsible for recruitment of teachers, rather the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) is in charge.
“Besides, each time we had a meeting with the head-teachers of schools in the council, the issue of shortage of teachers was never brought to our attention.
“Maybe it is because we are not in charge of recruitment of teachers that is why they did not raise it.
“The council is doing its best to ensure facilities needed for teaching and learning in a conducive environment are in place,’’ he told NAN.
Ogunwuyi also said that the LCDA was ensuring that lives and properties within the council area were well protected.
According to him, security personnel and neighbourhood watch teams are always on ground 24 hours in all the public schools to protect lives and properties.
“There is no primary school you visit in this council that you will not find security personnel at the gate.
“We do not allow our students to loiter around during school hours,’’ he said.
Ogunwuyi said that his council planned to strengthen security around the schools by rehabilitating the perimeter fence that collapsed due to heavy rainfall.
NAN reports that there are four primary and 10 secondary schools in the LCDA.
The Lagos State Government said it recruited 1,300 teachers early this year to boost manpower in its public primary schools.
The State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) on April 15 started distributing appointment letters to the newly recruited teachers.
Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde, controlled by Tajudeen Atitebi
