Govt Removes Principal, Deputy, Four Teachers For ‘assaulting’ Pupil

For alleged inhuman treatment of a Junior Secondary Two (JS II) pupil, Principal of Eva Adelaja Girls Secondary School in Bariga, Lagos, Mrs C. O. Coker, Vice-Principal, Mrs Balogun and four teachers were yesterday removed by the government.

The teachers are Mr Bello (Mathematics), Mrs Tejumaye (English language), Mrs Omoge (Physic Education) and Mr Bakare (Economics).

Their removal followed the investigation into the flogging of the pupil, Ogechi Anyalewechi, on March 16 by the teachers on the principal’s instruction.

Lagos State Ministry of Education Permanent Secretary Mrs Olabisi Ariyo said they were removed because of their complicity in the “assault saga”, adding: They will no longer work in the school from Thursday, March 24 (today)”.

Ogechi was flogged on her bare buttocks following an altercation with the school’s Head Girl.


The 14-year-old pupil got into trouble after slapping back the Head Girl, who reported her to the school.

Besides being caned, Ogechi was made to cut grass for over four hours.

Ogechi suffered body wounds and was taken to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja.

When the incident became public, Commissioner for Youth and Social Development Princess Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf directed the Directorate of School Social Services of her ministry to probe it.

A fact-finding team led by a director, which visited the school, on Tuesday, indicted the principal and the teachers.

Yesterday, Oghechi, her parents, the headgirl, the principal and the teachers appeared before a panel chaired by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola. Mrs Ariyo was in attendance.

The head girl, it was learnt, confessed that she slapped Ogechi and apologised for her action.
According to Princess Akinbile-Yussuf, “the Director of the School Social Services on my instruction went to the school to carry out on the spot investigation following which all those involved including the principal, the head girl, Ogechi, her parents and Tutor-General of Education District 2, were on Wednesday March 23 (yesterday), invited before a panel chaired by Muri-Okunola and his education ministry counterpart, Mrs Ariyo was also there.

“The head girl confessed that she slapped Ogechi first and apologised to her for her improper behaviour. It was also confirmed that the principal subsequently instructed some teachers to give Ogechi about 12 strokes of the cane on her backside. The principal and teachers have since been removed and will now report at the Education District 2, while the assault victim and the erring head girl were appropriately counselled by the School Social Services Directorate on the proper way to conduct themselves in school.”

She added: “We have also instructed that the victim (Ogechi) should not be harassed or molested as she returns to the school to continue her studies and her parents were happy at the outcome of the intervention.

“However, the ministry shall henceforth step up the school social services to educate both students and teachers on the best conduct in school environment across all public schools in Lagos State.”