Abia Urges Parents to Release Children to Write WASCE Exams

* Wants markets open for business
Goddy Egene

The Abia State Government has urged parents to ensure that their children go to examination centres to write the compulsory English examination of the West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE) today (Monday), September 13, and Tuesday, September,14, 2021.

The state made the call in special announcement titled, “WASCE: We Must not Jeopardise our Children’s Future”, signed by the Honourable Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu yesterday.

According to the commissioner, their attention had been drawn to the lingering sit-at-home order with its negative impact, stressing that is unacceptable to allow any individual or group to instill fear in their people to the extent of negatively impacting the education of their innocent school children who are billed to write the compulsory English examination of the West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE) and on the rights of other law abiding citizens.

“In the light of the above, government wishes to advise parents to ensure that their children go to the examination centres for their papers while teachers and examination supervisors are to ensure the protection of the children before, during and after the examinations. Other citizens are also encouraged to go about their normal duties without fear of molestation as necessary measures have been put in place to protect them. Our people are also hereby advised to promptly report any individual or group that attempts to harass, molest, intimidate or stop law abiding citizens, especially our school children, from exercising their constitutionally guaranteed freedom of movement to the police through the following numbers:

08035415405,

08079210003,

0807921000 and

08079210005,” he said.

The commissioner added that the leaders of all market and transport unions in the state should ensure that markets are open and transport vehicles deployed by their members for regular activities on Monday and beyond unless otherwise advised by government.

“Any market that is closed or transport union that fails to operate will be closed and disbanded, respectively, by government till further notice. We hereby implore leaders at all levels, members of the clergy, and, indeed, all parents, to support and pray for the resounding success of our school children who have maintained first position in WASCE, back-to-back, for four years as they go to their various centres to write their exams.

As a responsible government, we will continue to explore all avenues to ensure peaceful resolution of the issues that have led to the agitations by the concerned non state actors but we will not shirk our responsibility to the majority of our people who are also suffering silently out of no fault of theirs.

All security agencies in the state are hereby directed to fully deploy at all flash points on Monday and going forward as well as maintain regular patrols to ensure the safety and protection of law abiding citizens and visitors from any form of molestation,” he added.

The commission noted that for the avoidance of doubt, the government is committed to protecting all citizens and residents of the state “including ensuring respect for their fundamental rights. We also recognize the fact that some may wish to voluntarily sit at home for any number of reasons, but those wishing to go out must also be able to do so without fear of molestation by anyone.”

“Our people are wise and historically known to exercise wisdom in handling issues no matter the provocation. It is unthinkable that any Igbo man will want to cut his nose to spite his face especially in these circumstances that may adversely affect the future of our innocent children and we must all rise collectively to do the needful: protect our children’s education and ensure that those who may wish us evil as a people do not succeed in provoking us to destroy our means of livelihood at a time we are yet to recover from the economic challenges occasioned by the COVID-19 and EndSARS protests that necessitated the prolonged shut down of businesses only recently,” he stated.