On Tuesday, the Ogun State government informed the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Teachers and the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools that schools would be safe.
Prof Abayomi Arigbabu, the Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology, stated this while meeting with some leaders of teachers' unions in Abeokuta to discuss the state's repeated attacks and assaults on teachers.
About three incidences were reported last week in which students and paid hoodlums allegedly broke into secondary schools and assaulted teachers.
Arigbabu, together with Olalekan Ifede, Chairman of the Teaching Service Commission, expressed the government's willingness to provide appropriate protection for them as they carry out their jobs.
He pushed them to carry out their duties without fear of retaliation from anyone.
Arigbabu revealed that the administration has already arranged a conference with relevant security agencies to discuss how to stop the heinous trend, and that students involved in it will be prosecuted in court.
He reaffirmed the administration of Dapo Abiodun's commitment to ensuring that illegal behavior, such as bullying teachers and other pupils, is eradicated.
"I want to assure all teachers in the state that the government will continue to provide them with the best possible support," he said. You should be allowed to do your work without fear or resentment, and we will make it clear to teachers that we will not relent in ensuring that all of your concerns and entitlements are addressed."
Arigbabu emphasized that the government was committed to providing an enabling environment for teachers to work, stating that it would ensure that all compensation and benefits due to them were paid on time.
Ifede asked the teachers to conduct themselves with civility in his remarks, stating that indiscipline from teachers and principals would not be tolerated.
The NUT Chairman, Comrade Abiodun Akinola, and his ASUSS counterpart, Comrade Akeem Lasisi, both expressed gratitude to the government for its efforts in addressing recent unruly activities in schools, and expressed their belief that the actions already taken would help to put the ugly development behind them.
The duo also called for a review of some educational policies and disciplinary matters, as well as a concerted effort from teachers, principals, head teachers, and parents' associations to address the situation, promising that they, as leaders of the unions, would not tolerate unprofessional behavior.
