Osun Govt to Introduce Education-Marshals to Address Disturbances in Public Schools

By Abdulrofiu Agboola, Osogbo

In a bid to enforce discipline and address disturbances in public schools, the Osun State Government has expressed its readiness to introduce Education-Marshals at all secondary schools across the state.

The ‘Edu-marshals would provide security and guidance in the public schools, according to the Chairman, Osun Education Quality Assurance and Morality Enforcement Agency, Dr Isiaka Owoade.

This is coming in the wave of the incessant clash between students of Government Technical College and the Osogbo High School, the recent of which happened yesterday.

Owoade who spoke on a private radio station in Osogbo, on Thursday, said the edu-marshals were currently on training and would be deployed to the public schools very soon.

He said “We have already given them uniforms, they are training already and we will deploy them soon. They are to serve as discipline officers in school. The Marshalls are government trained personnel to see to such issues in all high schools in Osun.”

Dr Owoade stated that the move is also aimed at settling rifts that occur with the role played by Peace Corps of Nigeria officers and the local Vigilantes in providing security in schools.

“Those peace corps and vigilantes are not posted to schools by government. They are only there through the commitment of the PTA’s and the schools management.

“Even if they (Peace Corps and vigilantes) will work with our marshals, there must be a definite rules of engagement clearly stated in their terms of service”, he added.

Meanwhile, the state Commandant of the Peace Corps of Nigeria, Mr Moses Ayinde denied the allegations that his men were extorting the students of Government Technical College and their involvement in the fight on Wednesday.

Ayinde said the incident was caused by the technical college students who wanted to forcefully gain entry to Osogbo High School but were stopped by a female Peace Corps officer, stating that the officers did not extort the students as they only maintained law and order.

He concluded that due consultation and investigation would be employed to unravel the cause of the incident.