The Edo State government, under the leadership of Governor Godwin Obaseki, has announced an indefinite postponement of the resumption of all schools in the state due to the recent surge in fuel prices.
A memo released by Ojo Akin-Longe, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, on Saturday in Benin, confirmed that the original resumption date of September 9, 2024, has been pushed back without a new date being set.
In the memo, Akin-Longe stated, “The Edo State Government hereby announces that the resumption of all public and private schools in Edo State, initially scheduled for Monday, September 9, 2024, has been postponed until further notice.”
He further explained that the decision was made in response to the increasing tensions and difficulties arising from the recent fuel price hikes.The state government has advised parents, guardians, and caregivers to closely monitor their children during this period of uncertainty, given the indefinite nature of the postponement.
However, the All Progressives Congress (APC), the opposition party in the state, has strongly criticized the government’s decision. The APC described the indefinite postponement of the school resumption as “a costly political maneuver.” Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the party’s Publicity Secretary, Peter Uwadiae-Enosorogbe, condemned the move, stating that the Obaseki administration should not use the issue of fuel price hikes as a reason to disrupt children’s education for political purposes.
Uwadiae-Enosorogbe argued, “It’s unacceptable to sacrifice our children’s education because of fuel price hikes. Fuel prices have fluctuated before, and this should not be used as an excuse to disrupt the educational system.” He noted that there had been no significant protests or public outcry from parents about the impact of fuel prices on school attendance, making the government’s decision appear baseless and unreasonable.
According to Uwadiae-Enosorogbe, the state government had made a serious misstep with this decision, which he believes is not in the best interest of students, parents, or the broader educational system.
He called for the decision to be reversed, emphasizing that the education sector in Edo State had already suffered significant setbacks under previous administrations led by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
He pointed to the recent West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results, which ranked Edo State 26th, a sharp decline from its previous high rankings. Uwadiae-Enosorogbe questioned how the government intended to make up for the additional time students would lose from being out of school.
He also highlighted that parents had not expressed concerns about being unable to send their children to school due to fuel prices, further undermining the government’s rationale for the postponement.
The APC spokesperson stressed that many parents had already paid school fees and bought textbooks in preparation for the new academic session, and it was unreasonable to keep students at home under such circumstances. He called on stakeholders to urge the government to reconsider its decision and reopen schools.
Uwadiae-Enosorogbe said, “The children are eager to return to class, and the government should not use political strategies to hinder their education. This decision is a mistake, and it serves no one’s interest.”
