Sequel to the warning given by the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) against plan by the Oyo State Government returning public schools in the state to missionaries, the Oyo State Government has denied that the state government was planning to return some schools to their original owners, be they missionaries or individuals.
This was contained in a statement at the weekend where the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Barr Abdulrahman Abdulraheem clarified the State Government’s position.
The Commissioner added that the government, at no time indicated its readiness to return schools to their original owners.
He declared that the only recent event where Governor Seyi Makinde spoke about ownership of schools was at Loyola College during the commissioning of a Hall named after the Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, where he only advised members of the Old Students Association to direct their request to the Ministry of Education.
According to him, the state government had drawn up a Memorandum of Understanding to guide the planned takeover of Government College, Ibadan, by the Incorporated Trustees of the Government College Ibadan, comprising the Old Students Association and government nominees, adding that the new regime of control at the Government College, Ibadan, is meant to serve as a litmus test for necessary template on the matter.
Part of the statement reads;
“There is clearly no truth to the story making the rounds that the government of Oyo State was about to return schools to their original owners.
“While the state will not shy away from productive partnership with stakeholders in the education sector to support its policy of free and qualitative education, it will not take any step capable of upsetting the cord of alliance already existing in a highly treasured sector like education.
“Let me use this opportunity to address some interests who appear bent on twisting the submission of Mr. Governor on this subject upside down to look for other things to do as it is clear they will not succeed in the inglorious path of attempting to whip up religious sentiments on this issue.”