Drama In Edo: Teacher Can’t Read Her Document

The verification of certificates of primary school teachers in Edo State ordered by Governor Adams Oshiomhole has started fishing out unworthy teachers, with the discovery of one on Tuesday, who could not read a sworn affidavit tendered as part of her credentials. The teacher, Mrs. Augusta Odemwinge of Asologun Primary School, Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of the state stuttered as she was asked to read what was written on her affidavit before the state governor.

Oshiomhole, who paid an unscheduled visit to the state Staff Training Centre, venue of the exercise, said “if you can’t read, what do you teach the pupils, what do you write on the board?”

The governor had on arrival at the centre, checked some of the teachers’ credentials and documents presented.

When it was Mrs. Odenwingie’s turn, the governor listened as he asked her to read the affidavit she presented, but she stuttered, to the consternation of everyone present at the venue.

Chairman of the state Nigeria Union of Teachers, Mr. Patrick Ikosimi, who was also at the screening to monitor the exercise, said that the woman’s failure was “an embarrassment.”

Ikosimi, who described Mrs. Odemwingie’s failure to read a document she presented as an embarrassment, said the union was in tune with the state government on the need to sanitise the school system.

“We are committed to partnering the government to reposition education in the state. What this teacher has just displayed is a show of shame; it shows the decadence in the education sector.

“As the chairman of NUT, I had written to the governor that we are in total support of what he is doing.

“He should properly involve the NUT, so that together we can fish out the culprits, who are not viable as far as the system is concerned,” Ikosimi said.