Education marshalls to stem loitering by students as Obaseki launches Edo-BEST

In a grand overhaul of the Edo State basic education sub-sector, Governor Godwin Obaseki has launched the Edo Basic Education Sector Transformation (Edo-BEST) programme, warning that Education Marshals will be set up across local government areas to stem loitering by school children.

He said parents who fail to ensure that their children are enrolled and remain in schools will be arrested and fined.   

Speaking at the launch of Edo-BEST Programme at Samuel Ogbemudia College in Benin on Thursday, Obaseki said the state would work with Local Government Areas (LGAs) to coordinate the Education Marshalls, who would be on the watch to ensure students do not loiter about during school hours.

“If a child is found loitering during school hours, he or she will be apprehended and the parent of the child will also be arrested and fined,” he warned.

The governor also assured that perimeter fencing will be erected around all schools across the state, noting that President Muhammadu Buhari tasked all state governors to ensure security in schools.

He added that any building located inside the schools would be fenced in and such properties then automatically belong to the school.

The governor stated that his administration wants to ensure that any child who receives basic education would be able to read and write, which is why new technology-based learning method is being deployed in the state’s basic education sub-sector.

He assured that the Edo-BEST programme would be extended to all schools in the state, calling on communities to show commitment to protecting schools from vandalism.

Commissioner for Education, Hon. Emmanuel Agbale, said the overhaul of the basic education sub-sector and the adoption of new methods of teaching and learning will bring unprecedented change to the sector.

He said the governor would kick-start a reward system for teachers who distinguish themselves in the Edo-BEST programme.

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