… Parents allege harassment as government defends action
Barely a day after the Edo State Government ordered the shutdown of Authentic Royal Preparatory School in Benin, tension flared on Saturday when a state task force and security operatives allegedly stormed the school premises to break up a Parents Teachers Association (PTA) meeting.
The Ministry of Education had revoked the school’s licence on Friday, citing inadequate facilities that it said undermined effective teaching and learning. But parents, worried about the fate of their children, convened an emergency meeting on the premises to deliberate on the next steps.
Trouble started minutes into the gathering when officials reportedly swooped in “in commando style,” dispersing parents and ordering them out of the compound.
One parent, Mrs Igiehon, told Punch that the experience left many shaken.
“They came shouting at us as if we were criminals. Some parents even thought they were armed robbers. We were ordered into our cars and chased away from the school grounds,” she said.
The action, she added, traumatised some parents who were still grappling with the sudden closure of the school.
The proprietor of the school, Dr Godsent Erhumwunse, condemned the government’s decision, alleging that the revocation was politically motivated rather than based on standards.
“This is a low-cost school where many children are on scholarships. I have all my approvals and tax documents. The Commissioner is targeting me personally. Instead of supporting us, government is crushing us,” he lamented.
But the State Ministry of Education insisted the closure was justified. Gabriel Orire, Director of Planning and Statistics, said the decision followed an inspection led by Commissioner for Education, Dr Paddy Iyamu.
“The school failed to meet required standards. Government will not compromise on the quality of education delivered to Edo children,” he stated.
Erhumwunse, who also serves as the State Controller of the Association of Formidable Education Development (AFED), is no stranger to controversy. Earlier this month, AFED and other private school owners under the Coalition of Association of Private Schools (CAPS) staged a protest in Benin against what they described as excessive taxation and the state’s push for skills-based education.
