Teachers and staff of the Government College, Ibadan, GCI, are set for showdown with the Old Boys Association of the school, GCIOBA, OYOINSIGHT.COM.COM can report.
This morning, they will be staging a protest to challenge what they called ‘forced test’ on them by GCIOBA.
According to the staff, who spoke to OYOINSIGHT.COM on condition of anonymity for fear of being dealt with, GCIOBA doesn’t have any right to conduct a test for them.
They said that ministry of education appears helpless, suggesting that the school has been completely handed to GCIOBA.
In March 2022, the Oyo State Government had announced plan to hand over GCI to its Old Boys Association for management, operation and development.
Taiwo Adisa, chief press secretary to ‘Seyi Makinde, had in the statement, indicated that government made this known after signing an agreement with the Incorporated Trustees of the GCIOBA.
According to the statement, the handover plan is as a result of the request made by the Old Boys Association, to manage, operate and develop the school in order to maintain and sustain its legacy
Originally conceived in 1929 as a teacher training college by the colonial administration before its conversion into a secondary school for boys, the situation was to change in 1979 when the Oyo State government took over all schools and introduced free education from primary to secondary school levels.
In a save our soul message to OYOINSIGHT.COM, the teachers said that “We have called you to acquaint you of our helpless and bedridden state in GOVERNMENT COLLEGE IBADAN .
“This is sequel to the marriage of inconvenience between Oyo state government and GCI old boys Association.
“We don’t understand who gets what in GCI again. The old boys are making life unbearable for the staff, academic and non academic.
“We have sought for the attention of the government but the government seems to be turning his deaf ears to our cries.
“Tomorrow, 3rd February, the old boys are hellbent on organizing a test for the staff and the staff are feeling coerced about this baseless test. We need our employers, the ministry of education a the Oyo State government to come to our rescue.
“No one wants to write this test, kindly help us put this together to defeat the excesses of the old boys. They are infringing on our rights than necessary.
“They are willing to take over completely and they are using force to control the staff despite the fact that the relationship is termed partnership.
“The governor has constituted GCI BOT and the BOT is the one treating education officers as private school teachers, we have no say except what the old boys, BOT say.
“The MOU was signed around September last year. All we are saying is that we want our freedom as civil servants. We are helpless as they have turned themselves to gods in government school. We want parents and the public to come to our aid.
Though OYOINSIGHT.COM couldn’t get to speak with the spokesperson of GCIOBA as at press time, an article by one Adesiyan, a member of the Class of 1989, “GCIOBA has never contested ownership of the school with the Oyo State government. The terms of the MoU are specific, prominent among which is that the association will abide by the policies of the state government on education including that of free education. There is no future without a past and there can be no glory in the future if the present is not adequately taken care of. The old boys of GCI have no other school, we celebrate her past glory but we cannot deny her current sad state. All the parents who currently have children in the school must understand that this will be the case with their wards too when they graduate from the school. We therefore urge that there should be collaboration among all stakeholders in the interest of our children.”
