The immediate past governor of Osun State and incumbent Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola has faulted the sacking of over 1,500 teachers by Governor Ademola Adeleke.
He said that the ill-conceived move has led to an increase in the numbers of out-of-school children in the state.
Oyetola expressed deep concerns over the surge in statistics of out of school students necessitating his call on Adeleke not to politicise the educational sector of state.
The minister, who was represented by his former special adviser on political affairs, Sunday Akere, spoke at the commissioning of the multi million naira solar borehole donated by ex-students (1973&74 set), of Ife-Oluwa Grammar School, Osogbo, on Saturday, January 20, disclosed that he recruited 1,500 teachers but they were sacked, for political reasons by Adeleke.
He said: “My admonition to the government is that the government should not play politics with education. When we are in government, we recruited about 1,500 teachers but unfortunately the present government stopped all of them when they came on board and over a year now they have not done any thing to fill up the vacancies created.
“This has led to the recent increase in out-of-school children in Osun State. I want to implore the government to ensure they employ adequate teachers and also the ex-students of schools across the state should partner the government.”
Earlier, the principal of the school, D.K Faleye said: “We appreciate the kindness, generosity and philanthropic gestures of our distinguished Old Students of the school, Class 1973-74. The school will not forget in a hurry, the assistance made in paying the NECO fee of seven indigent students of the school last year, 2023.
“Furthermore, the sinking of the solar powered borehole which we are today commissioning is another laudable project embarked upon by these wonderful men and women class of 1973/74 – we shall ever be grateful.”
