CAN, Okogie ask Aregbesola to halt schools’ merger Govt explains policy FROM two strong camps came opposition to the recent re-classification of public schools by Osun State government. While the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) described it as part of ill-mannered policies of the state government to impose Islamic practices on Christians, the Archbishop Emeritus of Lagos, Anthony Cardinal Okogie said such a move would be inimical to the educational advancement of the state. Addressing journalists Monday in Abuja, General Secretary of CAN, Dr. Musa Asake observed that the ongoing re-classification of schools in the state has caused loss of sanity and the rich educational legacy of mission schools as demonstrated in the posting of hijab-wearing students to mission schools. Asake noted that if this re-classification is allowed mission school would now be slowed by contrary winds “because an arrangement that merges students from schools known for hooliganism, occultism and other social vices with morally upright and disciplined ones can only make forward motion extremely difficult”. He warned that mission schools and their names should not be replaced by other nomenclature under any guise. The CAN scribe also criticised the N11.4 Islamic Sukuk bond taken by the state governor and pointed out that taking an Islamic loan called Sukuk in the name of a state with plural religion in a secular country like Nigeria can only mean that one religion is favoured above the other. “We put it to the state government that the Islamic Sukuk bond is one reason Hijab wearing students have been posted to mission schools, it is done to change the identity of the mission schools. As a matter of urgency, the state government stopped this Islamic bond because it is not in the interest of all and sundry especially the Christian community in Osun state”. He said, “The first alarm alleging the incumbent governor of trying to Islamize Osun State was blown by the Department of State Security in their report of March 19th, 2012 to the Chief of Army Staff which stated that “There are indications that Gov Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State is trying to Islamize the state. Already, he has taken control of the Jamat’ atu Ta’ awunil muslimeen Society of Nigeria (TA’AWUN) now spearheading the use of hijab in all public schools in the state and serving as bodyguards to the governor and making frantic efforts to dislodge conventional security operatives from the Government House.” According to Asake, Aregbesola was further accused of trying to create something similar to Boko Haram in Osun State through the Islamic organisation TA’AWUN. He observed that Christians and Muslims have co-existed in peace and harmony in the state before the present administration in the state and urged the state governor to desist from utterances, policies and actions that are capable of pitching Christians and Muslims in the state against each other. Okogie recalled the futile effort of the former governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande to monopolise the education sector in the eighties. · “We all know what happened to Jakande schools in Lagos State. That experience did not work because he did not involve all the key stakeholders. It was Brigadier Bubar Marwa who blazed the trail by giving back the Pacelli School for the Blind to the Catholic Church. After him, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu also did the right thing by giving back some of the mission schools back to their owners. Since then, we have witnessed a rapid leap in the quality of education, especially those managed by the missionaries and voluntary agencies.” Okogie reminded Aregbesola that he was only a caretaker of the state resources; hence he should retrace his steps by putting in place only endearing policies that would move the state forward. However, Aregbesola of Osun has said the school re-classification of government hinges on total re-engineering of the state education sector to make it functional so as to be able to produce a total man. Aregbesola said the correction is necessary in view of allegations from certain groups that the reclassification is aimed at removing the identities of some schools that were originally set up by missionary groups before the take over of schools 38 years. He reiterated that government would retain identity and heritage of the schools regardless of their previous inclination. His words: “Let me state categorically that our administration has no intention whatsoever to change the character, heritage and the identity of any school. A good example, which is not far to seek, is the recently completed school in Alekuwodo. We have retained the name of the school, Salvation Army Middle School. I don’t think that anybody, even the founder of the school, would be dissatisfied with what we have done to that school.” The governor noted that the example of Salvation Army Middle School, which name is retained by government, is a testimonial that all the negative campaigns by some individuals amount to sheer hypocrisy and pure lies calculated to derail the good policy of government. He affirmed that nothing will derail his government’s effort in making the education sector a reference point in the country
Posted on: Tue, 15 Oct 2013 05:33:37 +0000
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015