The Model School Protest

Reports of a protest by students of one of the new model schools built by the Rivers State Government – Nne Kurubo Model Secondary School, Eleme – came as a rude shock. It is even un-believable that the students, who just finished their JSSI session also destroyed some school property.

Although there are conflicting accounts of what caused the riot, it is too early in the day for students of such model schools to go on riot. It is so un-expected and unthinkable that instead of counting themselves lucky and desirous of showing gratitude, these students would go wild. It is condemnable.

The Rivers State Government had built the state-of-the-art model schools across the state to serve as centres of excellence. The schools that were built to house 1000 students each provides free education, free food and all under very conducive atmosphere and well equipped facility.

Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi took this bold initiative to change the face of education in the State. Of course, the state of schools in the State when he took office was nothing short of scandalous. His intervention that had earned the State several awards have also become the model across Africa.

To ensure that nothing stood in the way of providing the best quality of education, the schools are under the management of foreigners, whose abilities are tested and proven in the area of quality education management. Hence, the state and its people expect the best from these schools and not riots, not now.

While we cannot praise the students for the violent protest, the system that would turn the minds of persons of that age to violence needs to be examined. This is moreso, because students of that school are expected to be exemplary and well nurtured. On the other hand, there has not been any problem with providing for the school.

Allegations of being denied the opportunity to worship, poor supply of water and under-payment of teachers need to be investigated. But the students should know how and where to channel their grievances if any. Of course, they should not be the ones to protest over the payment or otherwise of teachers if some persons are not trying to use them.

Already, the school authorities have rejected some new teachers posted to the school and have stated that it was not against worship, but that students should not depend on prayers for their success. Indeed, allegations that some teachers were dividing the students along denominational lines in the school should also worry any serious education provider.

While we insist that the children should be given moral and religious instruction, we cannot understand why and how prayers would distract from the studies of any student. We also cannot support the introduction of denominations on the campus. There must be standards and control on the information the students are fed with for obvious reasons.

The standards have been that, in this area where Christianity is the dominant religion, non-denominational worship is done for all the students at a central place and at the same time. This has been proven to be helpful and successful over the years. This we also expect  these model schools to adopt.

Religion is very important in the lives of the children. It is of utmost value that children get to know early in life that they were created by God and that He craves a relationship with each and everyone of them. If the foreign managers of the schools fail to appreciate this, the State must make it mandatory so that the education of the hearts and minds of our children was achieved. To raise any child without the fear of the Lord is to build a time-bomb.

While we think that the school authorities may mean well for the students especially in trying to make them realise that they cannot rely on prayers, we think that there may be more to it than the parties are telling the world. In fact, only a properly constituted enquiry will put paid to the crisis in the school.

It must be stated clearly to the students, teachers and anyone on the campus that the sole purpose of being there is to support the academic fortunes of the children and that of the state on the long run. The Ministry of Education must ensure that anyone that appears to thwart this goal is shown the way out. We don’t need to say it over and again that our expectations from these schools are very high.