For the second time in three days, Ekiti State Governor, Engr. Segun Oni read riot act to principals of secondary schools in the State over performance of their students, saying; “Teaching is not a job but a professional calling. Therefore, any teacher that is not ready to midwife our children to better life should quit now.”

Speaking during a meeting held with the principals under the aegis of All Nigerians Conference of principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), Governor Oni, who said the State Government would no longer accept poor results from public schools in the State, added that promotion of teachers in the State would henceforth be based on performance of their students.

While noting that his administration has made huge investment in the education sector in the last two and half years, Governor Oni said; “We are changing the school system to a result oriented one. This is why we have pumped so much money into education in the last two and half years.

“In 2007 alone, we distributed 37,770 copies of English and Mathematic textbooks free in 175 Senior Secondary schools while a total of 5,350 free textbooks were provided in other subjects. In 2008, we provided 207,353 free textbooks. “Apart from free textbooks, we have also provided 1,500 free laptops for SSS1 students in boarding schools while we have continued to pay WAEC, NECO and JAMB examinations fees of our students.

“To also create conducive learning environment for our students, we have provided school furniture worth N974 million while new classrooms have been built in virtually all the schools in the State.

“Apart from provision of infrastructures, our teachers are also among the best paid in the country and we have the highest number of teachers per student. Presently, we have average of 11 students to a teacher in Senior Secondary School and 12 to a teacher in Junior Secondary School.

“We are therefore worried that in spite of our ground breaking revolution in education, we are yet to see results of the kind we have envisaged. That is why we are saying that the principals would henceforth be held responsible for the poor performance of their students in examinations.

“You as the principal are the proprietors of the schools that you head and anything that happens there, you must take responsibility.

“We are therefore going to give you some sweeping powers, which include control, supervision, discipline of erring teachers and admission of students.

“If there is any teacher in your school that is not doing well and you want us to sack today, all that you need is to make proper justification, we will sack the teacher. Also, if there is any teacher that you want us to transfer, we will transfer. Even if such a teacher is my wife, we won’t mind because what is important to us the future of our children, which must be shape properly through qualitative education.”

Governor Oni, who noted that results of this year and those of next year would determine the fate of many of the teachers, said; “We are going to either promote or retire people base on results of this year and next year.”

Responding on behalf of the principals, State President of ANCOPSS, Mr. Dipo Adelugba called for redistribution of teachers to decongest the concentration in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital and other nearby towns. He also urged government to strictly monitor the quality of teachers to employ into the teaching service while also reviewing the policy of 100 percent transition from junior secondary schools to senior secondary schools.

Adelugba, who pledged the readiness of the principals to work with the government and other stakeholders for an improvement in student performance at internal and external examinations, noted that there was an urgent need for an education summit with a singular goal of addressing the causes and remedies to failure in the secondary schools.

He commended the Oni-led administration for the prompt payment of the new Teachers Salary Structure (TSS), introduction of the most cost comprehensive scholarship scheme, introduction of school feeding in primary and junior secondary schools, provision of students and staff furniture among others.