The CDC/Inter-Religious Committee on Education has launched a sensitisation campaign across secondary schools in Saki to discourage truancy and other moral challenges among students, warning that security agents will henceforth arrest any student found outside school during official school hours without a valid reason.
The campaign, which involved a tour of the town and schools alongside security agencies, was initiated following the committee’s observation that some students abandon their schools during official hours, a development it considered a concern requiring urgent community intervention.
As part of measures to address the situation, the committee announced that students found roaming around during school hours would be liable to arrest by security agents, as part of efforts to promote discipline, regular school attendance and responsible conduct among young people.
During the campaign, the committee also addressed the issue of school fees in private schools, urging proprietors not to send students home over unpaid fees. Instead, it advised school owners to communicate with parents and inform them not to bring their children to school where they are unable to meet the school’s financial requirements.
Earlier, before the commencement of the campaign, the Executive Chairman of Saki West Local Government, Hon. Gbenga Olaleye Akinola, commended the committee for what he described as a laudable initiative aimed at protecting the interests of the community.
Akinola said the programme would benefit the community by addressing truancy and preventing other social vices that could emerge if the problem was left unchecked.
The council chairman expressed his full support for the initiative and praised the major religious bodies and the Community Development Committee (CDC) for their steadfastness and commitment to the well-being of the community.
The committee also paid a visit to the palace of the Okere of Saki, where its members were received by the High Chief Amos Temilola Olaoye, the Bakoja of Saki.
During the visit, the Bakoja gave the royal blessing to the initiative and promised to convey the committee’s message to His Royal Majesty, Oba Dr. Khalid Olabisi Oyedepo III, the Okere of Saki.
The participation of religious leaders in the initiative reflected the involvement of the three major religious stakeholders in the community. They included Engr. Yinus Gbadamosi, Chairman of the Muslim Community; Sheikh Abdulwahab Ọlọ́run-Èrò, Chairman of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA); and Pastor S.S. Adeoye, Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).
Also present was Chief Onifade Ifaniyi, the Oluwo of Saki, alongside the CDC Chairman in Saki West Local Government, Mr. Alimi Sarafadeen Olatilewa, and other members of the committee.
Other stakeholders who participated in the campaign included Mr. Segun Ogundiya, Director of Education and Social Services; a representative of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Tijani Idris; a representative of the Association of Nursery and Primary School Owners in Nigeria (ANCOPS); members of the Park Management System; artisans; and other community representatives.
The campaign underscores the committee’s effort to strengthen cooperation among government officials, religious institutions, traditional authorities, security agencies, school proprietors and community stakeholders in tackling truancy and promoting discipline among secondary school students in Saki.
