RSG Warns Against Cultism In Schools …Reads Riot Act To Teachers

Worried by the rising cases of cult activities in schools, the Rivers State Government has said that such ugly trend would no longer be tolerated in public schools; even as it vowed to sanction teachers who absent themselves from work.
The Chairman, Rivers State Senior Secondary Schools Board, Chief David Brigss, stated this to newsmen after he paid an unscheduled visit to Bonny National Grammar School and Government Girls Secondary School, Finima, both in Bonny Local Government Area of the state.
The chairman said that the state government would not fold its arms and allow the rising cases of cult activities among students to continue, especially in public schools across the state.
Briggs, who led members of his team to arrest some students allegedly caught in cult-related activities at the Bonny National Grammar School, advised parents to closely monitor the activities of their wards.
According to him, “The situation I met at the Bonny National Grammar School, it is becoming very obvious that cult activities have taken over the school.
“My humble request to parents is that they should start paying absolute attention to their kids and their wards. School authorities spend less than eight hours per day with these students.
“But it is not in any way peculiar to the Bonny National Grammar School. It has to do with all the secondary schools in Rivers State. This is very disturbing, and if not curbed by parents or the combined efforts of government and parents, we are going to lose this generation; maybe, three, four more generations behind us,” he said.
In a related development, the Chairman, Rivers State Senior Secondary Schools Board, Chief David Briggs has threatened to sanction teachers of public schools who absent themselves from work.
Briggs stated this when he led his team to the Community Secondary School, Opuoko in Khana Local Government Area of the state.
“My earlier visit to the Community Secondary School in Opuoko, Khana Local Government also proved that teachers are not dedicated to their duty. On arrival, we found out that of the 22 teachers posted to that secondary school, only two were on duty.
“Therefore, I have directed that all those who were absent that day would write an undertaken that they will be of good conduct. And we will visit that same school, unscheduled very soon. And if we find any of them culpable, either that staff will be dismissed or made to forfeit, at least, one month pay,” he stated.

Dennis Naku